Hopi Katcinas 1895 Vintage Archive

a little history ...

Hopi katsina figures, also known as kachina dolls, are expertly carved figures that hold immense significance in Hopi society. These figures, traditionally made from cottonwood root, serve as a means of educating young girls and new brides about the katsinas or katsinam, immortal beings who bring rain, control the natural world, and act as intermediaries between humans and the spirit world. While they are still used in the Hopi community, other katsina figures are also created and sold as works of art to the general public. Similar figures are also crafted by other Pueblo peoples and Navajo artisans. The term "katsina" is often anglicised as "kachina" and the plural form can be either "katsinam" or "kachinas."