Museum Expedition 1941, Frank L. Babbott Fund

Museum Expedition 1941, Frank L. Babbott Fund

Frank Sherman Benson Fund

Anonymous gift

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.

Henry L. Batterman Fund

This shirt is very early, pre 1830s Blackfoot. The fringe along the sleeves and shirttail is the remnants of ermine and bits can still be seen. The painted figures of people are probably indicative of dead people or people the warrior killed. Should be called a War Shirt not a dress shirt. The quillwork is bird quill. Quillwork is similar to Mandan Hidatsa. Sometimes dots that are rounded indicate hailstones but then they are organized in a scattered fashion more like splashes. There are many anomalies in the quill/bead design.

Helele or Hilili are participants in a dance often chosen by a kiva to perform after the winter solstice ceremonies. This is possibly the Hilili Kachina known as the Corn Hilili. He wears a helmet style mask with long beard and feathered top. On his shoulders he wears a fur cape, body is painted red and he wears a painted dance skirt and sash. His chest and arms are painted red. He wears blue hide boots with red trim and has yarn tied around his calves.

(Photo lower left) Roughly modeled buffalo with slight indications for his hair, rough under his chin, paint traces down his forehead and hide for ears and tail.

This is a very special spoon that might be ceremonial but not for any specific ceremony.