Native American Kachina Doll
Want a unique Christmas gift idea? Kachina dolls, also known as katsinas, originated in what is now the southwestern United States. Authentic Kachina dolls are made only from the cottonwood root and are hand-carved representations of spirits in traditional Native American cultures. The Kachina spirits are said to have walked in the lands with the people long ago. When the people disregarded them, the spirits were offended, and were no longer visible to the people. Tradition holds that the Kachina spirits taught the people the joy of dance before leaving the natural world.
The Hopi tribe regards theirs as the only authentic work, claiming to have been the first native culture to use them. However, the Navajo, Zuni, Pueblo and Apache tribes also make Kachina dolls, also carved strictly from the cottonwood root and representative of spirit entities, similarly used in ceremonial rituals and as symbolic icons. The artists who carve these dolls are devoted to their craft, spending many years, indeed a lifetime, to perfect the art.
All of these tribes display Kachina dolls in their homes as reminders of spiritual blessings and as a means to teach their children the stories and symbolism behind each doll, passed down through the generations. Among the tribes who make Kachina dolls there are two to three hundred different dolls, depending on the tribe, each with a story representative of the spirit entity.
Kachina dolls are rich in symbolism. Tribal men, usually shamans, today continue the tradition of ritual ceremonies and festivals and dancing with drums and rattles. Typical themes include requests for rain to ensure a good crop, celebration of the harvest, and rites of passage.
The Shamans dress in costumes depicting the likeness of a Kachina spirit, including face paint, feathers, fur, turquoise jewelry, leather and masks. This man then “becomes” that entity for the period of the ceremony, thus conferring on his tribe the blessings of the spiritual entity.
Tribal cultural beliefs generally separate facets of the spiritual world into the various physical aspects of nature, encompassing animals, plant medicines, clouds, birds, the all-important rain and natural phenomena such as lightning and rainbows. Many of the ritual ceremonies involve requests to the spirits for sufficient rain for an adequate harvest, not surprising in the arid southwest.
In the last century, Kachina dolls have gained a following among art collectors, who value the dolls for both their beauty and symbolic link to the spiritual world through nature. Anthropologists, historians and tourists alike find these carved dolls fascinating.
Should you find yourself traveling through the American southwest, make it a point to search out the Kachina dolls. You can also find Native American websites which sell these stunning works of art.
When buying a Kachina doll, ask for a certificate of authenticity. The seller should be pleased to provide this, which includes the name of the artist and his tribe.
(image source: Wikipedia)
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