This is a wood mudhead clown kachina with a wool skirt. Koyemshi Kachina (Mudhead) Clowns Koyemshi Kachinas, or Mudheads were created when the Zuni first entered the world. One brother and sister had improper relations so their ten children became Mudheads. Each Mudhead exhibits behavior opposite to what their name is. Thus “The Aged One” acts like a child, “The Invisible One,” thinks he is hiding if he only holds up a feather in front of his face, while the all-important “Speaker of the Sun” is really a witless daydreamer and rarely speaks. A troop of ten different Mudhead Kachinas appear in most Zuni ceremonies performing outrageous behaviors and interacting with the audience, making them laugh but also making people realize how wrong such behavior really is as the clowns are eventually chased away.

These arrows were made by non-Native anthropologist Frank Hamilton Cushing and are part of his personal Zuni outfit.

These arrows were made by non-Native anthropologist Frank Hamilton Cushing and are part of his personal Zuni outfit.

These arrows were made by non-Native anthropologist Frank Hamilton Cushing and are part of his personal Zuni outfit.

These arrows were made by non-Native anthropologist Frank Hamilton Cushing and are part of his personal Zuni outfit.

These arrows were made by non-Native anthropologist Frank Hamilton Cushing and are part of his personal Zuni outfit.

These arrows were made by non-Native anthropologist Frank Hamilton Cushing and are part of his personal Zuni outfit.

Earplugs. A red-feathered disk is surrounded by white beads and attached to a carved piece of bone. Pendants of abalone are suspended from the red disk.

Museum Expedition 1903, Museum Collection Fund

A common type of ceremonial headgear in central California, flicker feathered bands were worn horizontally over the forehead, down over the eyes with the two ends flapping loosely at the sides. Pomo and Maidu versions are virtually identical. The vivid contrast in colors- orange from stripped shafts, black from the natural shaped tails - is produced by using different feathers of the same bird.