Grande poupée "kwasaitaka kachina" ("robe", "graine" ou "trois nez kachina") ·  Amérique du Nord, Hopi · ID: 3042445

Description

wood (from the root of the cottonwood tree), coated with white clay (kaolin), polychrome painted, tuft of feathers on the head, slightly dam., cracks, abrasion of paint;
the “kwasaitaka kachina” has influence over the growth of corn and usually carries seeds in a bag in his left hand. Spectators are very eager to receive these seeds and plant them. The most typical feature of this type of “kachina” is the tripartite nose, which should depict corn husk packets. Sometimes it is called “dress kachina”, because it wears a woman’s dress without a belt.
“Kachina” dolls (or “katsinam”) represent spirits or gods from the pantheon of the Pueblo peoples in the American Southwest. Given to children, “kachina” dolls constituted a pedagogical tool allowing them to familiarize themselves with the spiritual world and perpetuating knowledge of the founding myths on which their society was based.