At either side of this bunch of owl feathers are one or two pairs of triple pronged ceremonial hairpins. Wire is used as their base as the desired effect is to make them tremble as the dancer moves.

This is a bunch of owl feathers that would be tied into a hairnet and worn on the back of the dancer's head. They would be secrued with the pin. See 08.491.8802

The backs of these mittens and the thumbs are quilled with red, light blue, white, and purple porcupine quills in a floral design. The main composition is symmetrically arranged around an equal-armed, eight pointed element on a quadrate layout. The effect is of a flowering plant bursting into blossoms toward the fingertips so that the design is oriented towards the wearer. Design elements consist of the double curve cross, the trefoil, tear drop shaped and heart shaped motifs. A smaller curvilinear floral and leaf is embroidered on the thumb. Clustered on a single stem, similar design elements appear in blue, red, white, and purple. The cuffs are made of dark blue Stroud cloth decorated at the border with beads and ribbon. From the upper third of the cuff, proceeding toward the fingers, the ornaments are arranged: a scalloped design of white beads, each point terminating in a trilobal design; then a field of red ribbon; followed by a simple line of single white beads; a narrow band of gold or dark yellow ribbon; and finally a border of two lines of white beads. Blue and white bird quills decorate the seams. See supplementary file in Arts of Americas office.

Plume stick consisting of a wooden handle and two feathers attached to the handle by two cords of white beads.This pin would be stuck into the bunch of owl feathers (08.491.8807). These items are part of the feathered headgear stuck into a hairnet and tied at the back of a dancer's head.

Florence B. and Carl L. Selden Fund

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.

Robert B. Woodward Memorial Fund

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Francis T. Christy

Henry L. Batterman Fund

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.