Kachinas
Kachinas are significant spiritual entities found in Puebloan cultures of the Southwestern United States, particularly among the Hopi and Zuni tribes. The term "kachina" encompasses three meanings: a spirit being, a masked dancer representing that spirit in ceremonial contexts, and a wooden doll modeled after the spirit. These spirits are believed to act as intermediaries between humans and the gods, influencing key aspects of life such as crop growth and fertility. The Hopi tradition holds that kachinas reside on mountaintops, while the Zuni envision them living under lakes. Kachina ceremonies are integral to Puebloan life, with masked dancers performing during specific rituals from late February to July.
Kachina dolls, intricately carved from cottonwood root, serve as educational tools for young girls, teaching them about the characteristics of each kachina spirit. While initially tied to religious practices, these dolls are not worshiped as idols. The commercialization of kachina dolls began in the late 19th century, leading to more realistic designs and greater artistic expression among contemporary carvers. Today, kachinas remain culturally important, with traditional dances and ceremonies continuing in Puebloan communities while also appealing to collectors.
Kachinas
- TRIBES AFFECTED: Pueblo
- SIGNIFICANCE: The kachina cult, concerned with the growth of crops and the fertility of all life, is found among all the Puebloans in the Southwest
The term “kachina” has three distinct meanings: a spirit being, a dancer wearing a mask who impersonates one of the spirits in ceremonial dances, and a wooden figurine or doll made to resemble one of the spirits. These kachina dolls, the best examples of woodcarving found among the Puebloans, are made primarily by the Hopi and, to a lesser extent, by the Zuni, although belief in the kachina spirits is common to all the groups.
Kachinas are spirits of the dead who act as intermediaries between humankind and the gods and who bring the clouds and the rain. Some Puebloans, the Hopi among them, believe that the kachinas live on mountaintops, while others, such as the Zuni, believe they live under the lakes. The Hopi kachinas leave their mountain home to live in the villages for six months each year. They arrive in late February for an initiation ceremony called the Powamu and return after the Niman Ceremony, or Home Dance, in July. While in the villages, the kachinas are represented in various Indigenous American dances and ceremonies by men wearing masks. There are two major categories of masks: those representing the greater, or most sacred, spirits, which are simple and unchanging, and those representing the lesser spirits, which have more spectacular and changeable features such as ears, noses, or beaks.
Masked figures very similar to modern kachina masks have been found in ancient kiva murals at Hopi and in the Rio Grande Valley, as well as pictographs throughout the Southwest. Additionally, a small wooden effigy with a face painted to resemble a mask, found at the prehistoric site of Double Butte Cave in Arizona, bears a similarity to Hopi “cradle dolls,” the simple flat kachina dolls tied to a baby’s cradle. All these suggest a prehistoric origin for the kachina cult.
It is not certain when the Puebloans began to carve modern versions of kachina dolls. However, there are no examples dating earlier than about 1850, nor are there any references to them in the literature of the period. Kachina dolls are carved from cottonwood root and painted by the men of the pueblo to be given to their daughters or nieces to teach them the mask, costume, and body markings of each kachina spirit. Therefore, the doll must be accurate and detailed, especially the mask features. The dolls, although referring to religious spirits, are not religious objects themselves and are not worshiped as idols.
The commercialization of the kachina doll began sometime in the 1880s, when the traders who came into the Southwest cultural area began to sell the dolls to collectors. This resulted in a greater naturalism in the modeling of the figures as well as the addition of pieces of cloth, fur, and feathers to replace features earlier represented by carving and painting. “Action dolls”—those carved in more active positions—have also been developed to appeal to the collector.
In the twenty-first century, kachinas have retained their religious and cultural importance in Puebloan communities. The main spiritual beliefs surrounding kachinas remain unchanged, and kachina dances and ceremonies continue to be performed. The tradition of carving kachina dolls also continues among the Hopi and Zuni people, although contemporary artists have brought a modern artistic flair to the tradition. These dolls hold both cultural significance and commercial value.
Bibliography
Higgins, Andrew T., et al. "Hopi Katsina Dolls: Changing Styles, Enduring Meanings." Arizona State Museum, statemuseum.arizona.edu/online-exhibit/hopi-katsina-dolls. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
Mozdy, Michael. "Kachinas: Much More than Collectible Art." Natural History Museum of Utah, 11 Oct. 2023, nhmu.utah.edu/articles/2023/10/kachinas-more-than-collectible-art. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
"Treasures - Pueblo Indian Kachina Dolls." Rosenberg Library Museum, www.rosenberg-library-museum.org/treasures/pueblo-indian-kachina-dolls. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
Weiser-Alexander, Kathy. "Kachinas of the Puebloans." Legends of America, Nov. 2021, www.legendsofamerica.com/na-kachina. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.