"Hututu" katsina doll, ca. 1940 ·  North America, Hopi · ID: 3052267

Description

cottonwood root, washed clay (kaolin), black and polychrome pigments, inventory no. “S602”

In the cultures of the Hopi, Zuni and other Pueblo Indians in the southwestern United States, “kachina”, “katchina” or “katsina” refers to three phenomena: nature spirits, the masked dancers who represent these spirits, and the figurative representations of them.

“Katsinam” spirits are immortal beings that bring rain, control other aspects of nature and society, and act as messengers between humans and the spirit world. They are known to be the spirits of deities, natural elements or animals, or the deceased ancestors of the Hopi.

The carved figure is called “tihu” (pl. “tithu”). “Tithu” are referred to as “kachina dolls” in literature. They are distributed to children on special occasions to familiarise them with the appearance and nature of the “katsinam”. The figures are hung up in the house; the simple versions are also used as toys.