Relationship to Earth and Sky

The Hopi People: Kachina Dolls

By: Gilda Haro-Mejia

Who are the Hopi People?

The Hopi people trace back their ancestry to the HIsat-Sinom, or as they are more commonly known, the Anasazi. Just like their ancestors, the Hopi culture is well known for their agricultural skills as well as for their basket making. Currently, large majority of them live on the Hopi Reservation in Arizona (Schaefer).

Map provided by: Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life, 2nd Edition

Hopi Religion

“The Hopi Way” are the set of spiritual guidelines, rules, and ceremonies that the Hopi people abide by. This belief system keeps this world in harmony. Most of the rituals that take place are to honor their ancestors, to have successful harvests, for plentiful rain, and to show respect to kachinas or katsinas. Kachinas are not gods, instead they are a go-between for the Hopi people and the natural world (Gall & Hobby).

The image (right) depicts a coming of age ceremony for a young lady. COPYRIGHT 2000 Gale Ellen French and Richard C. Hanes

What are Kachina Dolls?

This image depicts one of many kachina dolls. COPYRIGHT 2010 ABC-CLIO, LLC

Kachina dolls are made by Pueblo people including, the Zuni and Hopi People. It is not known when doll making became common practice though dolls have been found that date from the mid 1800s.

These dolls are representations of the kachina spirits. They are made for ceremonies and then given to the children so that may learn the costume, mask, and markings of each kachina. Learning each kachina is very important to the Hopi culture so very special attention to detail is placed when making each doll (Barrett & Markowitz).

How Are They Made?

The process of making a kachina doll starts by selecting the proper tree. Traditionally, Hopi artists would gather the roots of the cottonwood tree for carving. Each doll is carved carefully and special attention is paid to details. After the carving is completed; minerals, and pigments from flowers were used to carefully paint each doll. Since kachina dolls are often collected, natural pigments are no longer used. Acrylic and tempera paint are more regularly used (Wright).

The image above shows two Hopi men making kachina dolls. Photo provided by American Indian Culture by Barrett & Markowitz.

How Are They Made?

After the paint is applied, the clothes for the kachina are selected. Every article of clothing is specially made for an individual doll. Leather, cotton, and even silk are used to make the clothing. Often times their attire is further enhanced with embroidery or paint. Lastly, accessories are added if needed, depending on the kachina being depicted. Some require tools, others use feathers; however the practice of using feathers is no longer in use due to the protection of eagles (Wright).

A collection of kachina dolls. Photo credit: Barton Wright

Key Kachinas

Ahola

For the First and Second Mesa, Ahola is an important kachina. This notable kachina starts the Powamu ceremony, or as it is sometimes called, the Bean Planting Ceremony. He visits each kiva (ceremonial room) and other places of worship. Once completed, he then bows to the sun, asks for blessings on his children, and for a successful harvest (Wright).

Painting of Ahola, Chief kachina by: Cliff Bahnimptewa

Key Kachinas

Ahol ManaAhol Mana is a female kachina that visits each kiva with Ahola. She holds the bean sprouts that Ahola hands out to each kiva. In the painting she is seen with traditional wedding attire but she is not usually depicted with those specific clothing on the Second Mesa (Wright).

Painting of Ahol Mana by: Cliff Bahnimptewa

Key Kachinas

Soyal

The painting depicts the kachina, Soyal. This kachina is specifically for the Third Mesa. He is shown here with hunting tools and hunting attire. Soyal’s presence announces the beginning of the Winter Soltice (Wright)

Painting of Soyal by: Cliff Bahnimptewa

Conclusion

Kachina dolls can be found in books, history texts, and in museums. There are also a number of private collectors that have them on display. The Hopi Reservation is in Arizona and they incredibly welcoming of guests.

Photo by Barton Wright, Hopi Kachina: The Complete Guide to Collecting Kachina Dolls

Conclusion

The moment I saw one of these kachina dolls, I became intrigued. Later I learned the amount of time, dedication, and attention to detail required to make even one of these kachina dolls. The great lengths that are made to collect materials such as the wood or the paint needed is remarkable. It shows the artistic ethic that the Hopi people have. Though the Hopi people may not see themselves as artists, they are indeed.

These are not just dolls; they are a physical manifestation of the beliefs of the Hopi people.

Photo by Barton Wright, Hopi Kachina: The Complete Guide to Collecting Kachina Dolls

Barret, Carole A. and Markowitz, Harvey J."Kachinas." American Indian Culture. Ed. Vol. 2. Pasadena, CA: Salem Press, 2004. 377-379. Magill's Choice. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 21 Apr. 2014 Gall, Timothy L. and Hobby, Jeneen., “Hopi.” Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life. 2nd Ed. Vol 2. 2009. 287-292. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 12 Apr. 2014 Leeming, David A. Creation Myths of the World. Vol. 1: Parts I-II. 2nd ed. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2010. p131-136. COPYRIGHT 2010 ABC-CLIO, LLC. Image. Lehman, Jeffery. Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America. Vol. 2. 2nd ed. Detroit: Gale, 2000. p853-865. COPYRIGHT 2000 Gale Ellen French and Richard C. Hanes. Image. Schaefer, Richard T., “Hopi.” Encyclopedia of Race, Ethnicity, and Society. Vol 2. Thousand Oaks, Ca: SAGE Publications, 2008. 652-654. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 12 Apr. 2014

Wright, Barton. Hopi Kachinas: The Complete Guide to Collecting Kachina Dolls. Flagstaff, AZ. Northland Publishing, 1977. 9-18. Web. 23 Apr 2014

Bibliography