The Importance of Kachina Dolls
- If a non-Native American person seeks a native-made doll or toy, they should seek items other than kachinas. Often misrepresented as dolls or toys for children, kachinas do not fit that image or ideology. Their purpose surrounds children, the Native Languages of the Americas website says, but Hopi adults utilize the figurines to teach children about their culture and religion.
- Authentic kachina, or katsina, icons represent different aspects of Hopi mythology. Some archaeological evidence points to origins of the kachina cult in Meso-America. By the year 1100, the Hopi kachina cult appears to have been well-established, according to Barton Wright of San Diego's Museum of Man. The central theme of the cult surrounds the life force present in all parts of the cosmos, which encircles the Hopis. Kachina icons express that concept.
- The world of the kachinas lies beyond everyday normal life, in a spiritual, unearthly place "where the bodies of the dead go to continue interacting with their universe, but in a new form--alter egos of their former life," Wright says. Here, the kachina energies interact with nature and humanity. Through their carvings, the artists of the kachina icons interpret the role of the various kachinas in nature and through tradition.
- Only Hopi artists create genuine kachina figurines, devoting their lives to this spiritual endeavor, the Native Languages of the Americas website says. To perfect the craft, they must undergo years of continued work and religious training. Cottonwood provides the raw material for the icons, as it shapes easily and rarely splits. Symbolically, according to Wright, the cottonwood tree's water-seeking roots allow this sacred item to represent a basic element required for the necessities of life. Carvers employ ancient and contemporary tools.
- The Hopi artists' understandings come forth in specific forms in the carvings. Abstract features and symbols signify powerful kachinas. Other forms include representations by the Hopi members, who stand in for the kachina spirits in religious rites or dances. Typically, carvers call upon a group of 25 to 30 images, says Wright. If asked to create an unfamiliar kachina, the artist turns to the community for assistance in the creation of the religious icon.