Hunter (Ahote) Kachina. Artist Orin Poley. This Kachina appears in the mixed dances and is probably derived from Plains Native Tribes influence. The figure is carved from one piece of cottonwood root. He raises his PR leg and arm. He holds a painted wooden snake in that hand and the snake wraps around to the left side of his head. His PL arm is lowered and holds a bow from which dangle a white feather on each end. The PL leg has a string tie with metal bells tied onto it. He wears a long trailer style war bonnet of feathers carved from wood and panted white with black tips. His entire body is painted blue with black four point stars on his shoulders and chest and the front of his mask. His mask style is rounded with a short snout, teeth showing. His face has black and red triangular designs, goggle eyes and large red ears with narrow feathers thrust through the ears horizontally. He wears a carved wooden simulated hide skirt with a belt with a pouch and a traditional style Hopi sash (carved). He wears carved red and blue boots with red tops. Across his chest is a string bandolier with shells and turquoise beads.

This Kachina possibly represents Hetsululu. This Kachina was so poor he did not have any jewelry, clothes, or moccasins so Hemokatsiki-the grandmother of all Kachinas - rolled some clay into a nice shape and put it on top of his mask. He was then painted in stripes of all the colors used by the Kachinas so he would represent the world. Sometimes he appears barefooted but this doll has been dressed in an additional manner with the high boots. Hetsululu was sent to the village to play a game with the villagers with clay balls. He is considered friendly and now may appear with the mixed dances carrying a bucket of clay balls. Everyone believes that his clay increases rapidly so when he throws clay balls from his bucket they catch them and put them with their corn or bread so that they may also increase.

Fully dressed doll with a coconut husk base, beaded necklace and earrings.This type of doll was created extensively for the burgeoning tourist market during the ealry 1900s.

Frank L. Babbott Fund

This pottery doll wears hanging earrings and a necklace (both of dark blue and white beads), bracelets on either wrist (of sea-blue beads), and purplish-black yarn around waist which holds a red skirt. The black, thick hair falls straight with a bang effect at the forehead. Openings in ear lobes, nostrils, and mouth--eyes are black and white. Slight suggestion of breasts: toes and fingers defined. Brown line designs cross the eyes, jaws and chin and begin at the collar bone on the torso and continue, vertically, down the chest, arms and legs. Her skirt is wrapped around the waist and fastened with a yarn waistband.

Henry L. Batterman Fund and the Frank Sherman Benson Fund

Brooklyn Museum Collection

Brooklyn Museum Collection

Henry L. Batterman Fund and the Frank Sherman Benson Fund

This kachina has a helmet-style mask with feather headdress, a snout with teeth, hide ears and a face painted with a snake design. He wears a short fur cape and hide boots, painted blue with red trim. His skirt is also decorated with a snake motif. His body has been painted with red pigment.