The Elizabeth Cole Butler Collection.

The Elizabeth Cole Butler Collection.

Gift of the McFarland Family on the occasion of the 80th Birthday of James C. McFarland.

Gift of Lillian Pitt.

The Elizabeth Cole Butler Collection.

Round, shallow woven corn sifter basket. The edges are folded over a rim of wood or root; the weaving is in a chevron pattern.

Heart of the Sky God (Sotuknangu) Kachina Doll. Or sometimes referred to as the Star Kachina (Sootukwnang) Master of the Universe. Either way it represents a deity. This is a deity impersonated by elders in certain kiva ceremonies. May also appear in Powamu, Mixed Dances of springtime. Believed to control the dangerous thunderheads, lightening and destructive rain. He wears a peaked hat (with feathers) that represents thunderheads. He holds a representation of the expandable sticks in his PL hand that represent lightening. The PR foot is slightly raised as well as his PR arm and the hand holds a gourd rattle with a four point star on it. He has yarn ties on his wrists and the top of the carved and painted brown boots. PR hand has a rattle His body painted blue, wears a traditional white kilt and sash with a carved fox tail in the back and a leather bandolier with shells crosses over his chest and back. His mask is helmet style with the front painted white and the back green. Black slits with rain drops over them for eyes, hourglass forms on his cheeks and a triangular mouth. The edge of his headdress is trimmed with ruffled yarn. The ears are large red disks with turquoise bead earring loops. This Kachina appears during the Angk'wa, night dances) usually with a mixed Kachina group. In the dance he carries a bull roarer and expandable sticks to make lightening when he dances.

Crow Mother (Angwusnasomtake) Kachina Doll. Female figure carved from one piece of cottonwood root she leans slightly forward and holds both arms out carrying a bundle of sticks. Her headdress is large and dramatic with rayed feathers on either side of a bright blue helmet style mask with slender blue horns. The front of the mask has a large upside down, black triangle with a smaller one under it. Across the top and down the sides of the mask is a braided yellow and red yarn. There is a fur ruff around her neck. She wears a long dress made from cotton and trimmed with red and green yarn with a white braided yarn sash. She has a white, canvas mantle around her back and wears carved white boots. Crow Mother performs many roles and functions. She participates in the initiation blessings of children 10 - 15 years old, guides the whipper (punishment) Kachinas who are considered to be her children. Aggressive in temperament she is very active insuring that she will get attention and that her messages about the importance of the Kachina culture will be heard by the initiates. She appears during the Powamuya- purification ceremonies in February. Note the Kachina is portrayed by a man.

Giant (Chaveyo) Kachina Doll. Artist probably Henry Shelton. This Kachina is one of the ogres in the white ogre family. Carved from one piece of cottonwood root and painted light beige, he stands with both feet on the ground, knees slightly bent, PR arm raised and PL arm lowered. He has a snarling, fanged mouth with red showing inside, goggle eyes, black face paint with white swirls on the cheeks, and very large red ears. He wears a fur ruff around his neck and has a rayed feathered headdress. He holds whipping sticks in raised PR hand and a large sword with a swirled, snakelike design and feather tuffs in lowered PL hand. His kilt and boots are carved on. He wears a hide cape and has hide fringe knees and on the top of his carved boots. Prior to the Angk'wa (February night dances) the Ogre family appears in the village demanding food and game in large quantities. For about a week they appear going from house to house insisting they give. If not enough food is forthcoming they hoot, snarl and terrify claiming they will eat the children. Children are terrified. Everyone looks to see what they have done wrong to deserve this. The Ogre's are the reminders that everyone’s behavior is not good enough to live up to the high Hopi standards. They are the reminders to live the spiritual life. Once ridicule and punishment are over the ogres give a blessing and a social dance is held for healing. The Ogre family is forcibly removed from the village.

Sun (Tawa) Kachina Doll. This Kachina is carved from one piece of cottonwood root. This Kachina has a large circular headdress of carved white feathers with black tips surrounding a circular face. The face has the bottom half blue with black slits for eyes, triangle for mouth and two parallel lines on either side of mouth. The top of face is bisected with yellow, black and red stripes making a forehead design. The back of the headdress has real feathers. Across his back is a silk ribbon bandolier. The carved wood sash in back has carved fox pelt. The figure has a flesh colored chest with Pl breast yellow and PR breast turquoise. He wears a carved dance kilt and boots. His knees wear leather leg bands decorated with bells and yarn. His raised PR arm and hand holds a gourd rattle and his lowered PL arm and hand carries a flute. This Kachina is very rarely seen in public because thir performance is part of sacred ceremonies reserved only for specific clans. Tawa, a spiritual being seldem appears.Tawa (Sun) kachina dancer wears a radiating headdress made from yucca fibers, and carries a gourd rattle and a flute. He may appear in mixed kachina dances but this is unusual as he rarely appears in major public events. Tawa does not belong to any specific men’s kiva group but will appear on request in their sacred ceremonies. All the stories about him relate to his interactions with people and animals and how he contributed to earth’s creation.