What is a Kachina mask?
In mask: Therapeutic uses. Spirits called katsinas (kachinas), who—tradition holds—first brought rain to the Pueblo tribes, are said to have left their masks behind when sent to dwell in the bottom of a desert lake. The masked dancers embody the return of the kachinas to help bring the rain.
How do you identify Kachinas?
Because they were made as gifts. As well and were also sold zuny Kachinas have closed as a general rule like the one to my right you can see it has closed it also has articulations of the arms.
What is the purpose of Kachinas?
The Kachinas (also “Katsinam” in the plural) function as spiritual guides or intermediaries between people and their gods within Puebloan religion.
What is the difference between Kachina and Katsina?
Early tourists to the Hopi Reservation offered to purchase the unique dolls they saw for their private collections. They misheard the pronunciation of the word ‘Katsina’, calling them ‘Kachina’ dolls. There is no “ch” sound in the Hopi language; therefore, the preferred and linguistically correct word is Katsina.
What are kachina masks made of?
The mask is the most important aspect of the Kachina ceremony. Traditionally made of leather or wood, the mask is seen as a living thing and even fed sacred food. When worn, they bring the spirit directly into the village.
Are kachinas Hopi or Navajo?
Kachina or Katsina spirits are the basis of the Hopi religion that ties them to the land. In their ceremonial calendar there are six months that these spirits come and concentrate, February through July, and the other six months are for the people to carry out their domestic activities.
What is kachinas worth?
According to Kachinadolls.com, an ancient Kachina doll sold for $250,000. The best contemporary fine art examples can sell for as much as $50,000. However, most Kachina dolls are worth $100 or less. The key to a valuable Kachina doll is intricate carving and decoration with quality materials, as well as age.
Are kachinas Hopi or Zuni?
Although kachina dolls are usually associated with Hopi, the Zuni Pueblo of New Mexico also has a rich history of kachina doll carving. (Other pueblos, such as those in the Rio Grande valley, also share the Kachina mythology.)
How can you tell if a kachina doll is real?
Identifying Kachina Dolls. You can identify a Kachina doll by its materials and the symbols associated with its clothing, decorations, and headdress. This can help you determine which Kachina it is and whether it is authentic.
How many types of kachina are there?
There are more than 250 different Kachinas, each with its own separate attributes, representing everything from animals to abstract concepts. The Hopi were the original Kachina Doll carvers, using a single piece of cottonwood root.
What makes a Kachina doll valuable?
How can you tell if a Kachina doll is real?
Are Kachinas Hopi or Navajo?
Is Kokopelli a kachina?
Kokopelli is probably the most well known Kachina. He is known as the hunchback flute player who plays to bring rain and also to attract women. Kokopelli is a fertility god. He is a baby maker, and his hump, along with his pouch, is filled with beautiful gifts to distribute to the women he attracts.
Are kachina dolls worth money?
How Much Is a Kachina Doll Worth? According to Kachinadolls.com, an ancient Kachina doll sold for $250,000. The best contemporary fine art examples can sell for as much as $50,000. However, most Kachina dolls are worth $100 or less.
Do kachina dolls have value?
Today, both old and new kachina dolls are among the most desirable collectibles in the Native American crafts market, and sell for a few hundred dollars, up to as much as $250,000 — the price paid for an early and rare traditional kachina.
Is Kokopelli a Navajo or Hopi?
The male kokopelli and the female kokopelmana are actually Hopi kachinas (masked deities) that are used to educate people about socially acceptable – and unacceptable – behavior. They can often be seen pantomiming lewd behavior during social dances and certain ceremonies.
What does Kokopelli mean in Navajo?
According to Navajo legend, Kokopelli was the God of Harvest and Plenty – a benign minor god who brought abundant rain and food to people. The Zuni also regarded him as a Rain Priest, able to make it rain at will.
What does Anasazi mean in Navajo?
“ancient enemy
The term is Navajo in origin, and means “ancient enemy.” The Pueblo peoples of New Mexico understandably do not wish to refer to their ancestors in such a disrespectful manner, so the appropriate term to use is “Ancestral Pueblo” or “Ancestral Puebloan.”
Is there a female Kokopelli?
The kokopelli is in fact drastically different than the Hopi flute player. The male kokopelli and the female kokopelmana are actually Hopi kachinas (masked deities) that are used to educate people about socially acceptable – and unacceptable – behavior.
Is Kokopelli a Kachina?
Are the Navajo descendants of the Anasazi?
The Anasazi were one of these groups. Later groups such as the Pueblo and the Hopi are descendants of the Anasazi. The Anasazi, whose name is Navajo for “the Ancient Ones,” lived in stone houses built on or carved out of existing rock structures.
What are Anasazi called now?
The airy settlement that we explored had been built by the Anasazi, a civilization that arose as early as 1500 B.C. Their descendants are today’s Pueblo Indians, such as the Hopi and the Zuni, who live in 20 communities along the Rio Grande, in New Mexico, and in northern Arizona.
What Indian tribe is Kokopelli from?
Kokopelli is a kachina, or spirit, found in the mythology of the Hopi, Zuni, and other Pueblo Indians of the American Southwest. A complex character, he plays various roles, including those of fertility spirit, trickster, and hunter.
Does the Anasazi tribe still exist today?
The descendants of the Anasazi are still around today, though. The Pueblo and the Hopi are two Indian tribes that are thought to be descendants of the Anasazi. The term Pueblo refers to a group of Native Americans who descended from cliff-dwelling people long ago.