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Kachina Doll2010.6.9

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.

Culture
Pueblo and Hopi
Material
cottonwood root, acrylic pigment, yarn, feather, shell, hide, cotton and bead
Holding Institution
Brooklyn Museum
View Item Record
Ogre (Chaveyo) Kachina Doll2010.6.15

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.

Culture
Pueblo and Hopi
Material
cottonwood root, acrylic pigment, hide, feather, fur, horse hair, wood and yarn
Holding Institution
Brooklyn Museum
View Item Record
Kachina Doll2010.6.8

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.

Culture
Pueblo and Hopi
Material
cottonwood root, acrylic pigment, silver disc, yarn, silk ribbon, fur and bead
Holding Institution
Brooklyn Museum
View Item Record
Kachina Doll2010.6.14

Great Horned Owl (Mongwu) Kachina Doll with removable mask. Artist probably Henry Shelton based on stylistic characteristics. The unusual, removable owl mask has real feathers and fur on a carved helmet style mask. Yellow circular eyes and yellow beak. The entire Kachina figure without the mask has been carved from one piece of cottonwood root and appears fairly static with PR hand raised and other arm straight down and both legs on the ground. Each hand carries some plants of green stalks with white tips. He wears a carved kilt and has a real hide cape that crosses with a strap in the front and is decorated with shells. The boots are painted on and he wears yarn and hide ties at their tops. The face of the Kachina is painted white with strong features. He has short black hair. He wears a beaded blue and white necklace. Dynamism is achieved when the mask is put over the head. Mongwu appears singly during mixed Kachina night dances (Angka'wa) usually in March. The fur and feathered mask of Mongwu, the Great Horned Owl, is removable on this kachina. Underneath is revealed the intense face of the dancer as seen in the photo. Mongwu performs the role of a sergeant. He carries a whip to indicate he is a discipliner, protector and overseer of the other kachinas. He closely watches the Mudhead kachinas and if they become too rowdy he disciplines them. He appears singly in March night dances where the purpose is to create a pleasant atmosphere for life, encourage growth and bring rains so it is important to maintain a harmony.

Culture
Pueblo and Hopi
Material
cottonwood root, acrylic pigment, hide, feather, fur, yarn, bead and shell
Holding Institution
Brooklyn Museum
View Item Record
Kachina Doll2010.6.7

Ogre's Uncle (Oötsawihazru) Kachina Doll. This is a tall, slim Kachina with a large, snarling snout, red lips with open, teeth filled jaws. His mask has long, curved, green and black striped horns on either side of the head, and black goggle eyes. The back of his head has a feather bundle and he wears a fur ruff around his neck. He wears western style white pants, a concho belt with studs with turquoise circles painted in them and a purple, tailored shirt with painted white buttons. He wears painted tall, red boots with real yarn ties at the top. His PR hand is raised brandishing a bloody knife. His PL hand carries a bow (broken). He has a real hide cape tied in the front under his PR arm but he is totally carved with details underneath the cape. As an Ogre's Uncle he is a little more patient than the Black Ogres, not as active but still fearsome. Ogres (Soo'so'yoktu) appear during the ceremonies in the last stages of the Powamuya usually held in February depicting the final stages of the world's creation where Kachina spirits are implored to carry out the purification of life.

Culture
Pueblo and Hopi
Material
cottonwood root, acrylic pigment, hide, feather, fur, yarn and silver metal
Holding Institution
Brooklyn Museum
View Item Record
Kachina Doll2010.6.6

Butterfly Girl (Polimana) Kachina. This Kachina has a body carved from one piece of cottonwood root. She wears a large, rayed headdress painted brilliantly with blue, yellow and red stripes and black dots that indicate pollen on the front. The back of the headdress is red with a cluster of feathers on the back of her head and three braided yarns, one each, red, green, white hanging down the back. She stands on both feet and raises her PR arm holding two feathers in each hand. Her clothing is also all carved. She wears a blue dress with darker blue apron with red and green bands on the bottom and a red sash with a broken diamond pattern. She has a short white shawl with red edges around her PL shoulder. Butterfly Girl appears during Angk'wa (night dances). It is a series of colorful dances usually performed with four pairs of maidens and male partners (all kachinas portrayed by males). The Angk'wa is sponsored by a kiva to promote all life-growth.

Culture
Pueblo and Hopi
Material
cottonwood root, acrylic pigment, feather, yarn and bead
Holding Institution
Brooklyn Museum
View Item Record
Wildcat (Tokotsi) Kachina Doll2010.6.5

Wildcat (Tokotski) Kachina Doll. This Kachina has a body carved from one piece of cottonwood root. He is positioned with his PL leg and PL arm raised, slightly crouching. His kilt and sash with a fox tail hanging down the back are carved root. His cape is spotted fur. He wears a carved turtle rattle on the PR leg ankle. His hide bandolier is decorated with shells. He has a hide fringe on top of painted on boots. The white head mask has a snout with bared teeth, black goggle eyes set in a brown "bandit" type mask and he has black cat paws painted on his cheeks. Top of the mask has feathers. He has large red ears. Wildcat Kachina appears by itself during Angk'wa (a series of night dances). His prayers are for rain to increase their wildcat numbers so the Hopi can have more pelts.

Culture
Pueblo and Hopi
Material
cottonwood root, fur, acrylic pigment, hide, feather, wood and metal
Holding Institution
Brooklyn Museum
View Item Record
Kachina Doll2010.6.13

Eagle Dancer (Kwahu) Kachina Doll. Artist probably Henry Shelton as he is stylistically like those he carved in body sculptural form and hand treatment. A Kachina with outstretched arms made from one piece of cottonwood root. His arms have real feathers and down on them. He wears a carved dance skirt, a bandolier and a pelt sash that hangs down in the back. His helmet style mask is blue, topped with a yarn band and feathers and circled with a yarn ruff around the bottom neck area. His eyes are black slits, his yellow beak is open. He wears yarn ties around his calves. Although unsigned, he is stylistically like those carved by Henry Shelton in body sculptural form and hand treatment. The eagle dance is a prayer for good crops, rain, and plentiful eagle feathers as their feathers important in many ceremonies. The Kachina usually appears in a group of several forming a dance troop, squawking and imitating eagle behavior while the Koyemshi (mudhead clowns) sing to them. The sponsoring kiva must fast, abstain from sex, and no eating of salty or fatty foods before the dance.

Culture
Pueblo and Hopi
Material
cottonwood root, acrylic pigment, feather, yarn and leather
Holding Institution
Brooklyn Museum
View Item Record
Kachina Doll2010.6.4

Rooster (Takawee)Kachina Doll Kachina body totally carved from one piece of cottonwood root. He has a muti-striped face and helmet type mask, black slit eyes and a yellow bird beak. He has a bare chest painted yellow on the PL side and blue on the PR. He wears a white cape, and holds a rattle in his PR hand and plant fibers in his PL hand. He wears a beaded necklace and jingle bells on the bands on top of his boots. This type of Kachina dates to the post-Spanish era when the Spanish brought chickens and roosters into the Hopi territory. Rooster Kachina may appear during winter kiva dances.

Culture
Pueblo and Hopi
Material
cottonwood root, acrylic pigment, yarn, feather, metal bell, bead and plastic
Holding Institution
Brooklyn Museum
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Kachina Doll2010.6.3

Mud Head (Koyemshi) Kachina Doll. The figure is carved totally from one piece of wood. He wears a black skirt and carries a rattle in his PR hand and ears of corn dangle from his PL hand. He wears a green bandanna around his neck. The painted boot moccasins have silver and turquoise ornaments on them. The Mud Head's role during dances consist of a group of 9 of them clowning around, using the audience for their jokes, often lewd behavior and comic relief but with the underlying message that their behavior is totally improper and such antics are not what is to be done.

Culture
Pueblo and Hopi
Material
cottonwood root, acrylic pigment, silver metal, feather and yarn
Holding Institution
Brooklyn Museum
View Item Record