Hopi Kachina Doll

The Hopi refer to supernatural beings that represents a life-force or embodies a natural phenomenon such as the sun, the moon, a plant, or an animal as katchina. Such beings have the power to control impostant aspect of likf, including rainfall, crop growth, and fertility. They also act as protectors, and as messengers between the gods and human beings. Carved kachina figures, also known as kachina dolls, are representations of these spirits and can have a sacred or an educational purpose. They were often given to members of the Hopi community during ceremonies to celebrate marriage, reward good behavior, or teach children about religious practices. During the nineteenth century, a market for the carvings developed among non-Native collectors and tourists. This kachina, made in the late nineteenth century of wood, feathers, cotton, wool, and animal hair, was collected by the Brooklyn Museum in a 1904 expedition.