Hopi "Cradle Kachinas"....Delightful Deities!

"Sikya Taka" ~ Is a "Runner" Kachina who appears in the Spring Dances, and runs with the men of the villages. Various reasons are cited for this particular event, some Hopi say it is just for fun, while others say there are religious overtones and most say that the men race so the much needed water will rush down the arroyos.

"Aya" ~ Also called the "Rattle Runner". The "Rattle Runner" races with the "Crazy Rattle Runner" during the Spring Dances. Both of these runners carry yucca whips which they use on any racer who loses. These two runners give several swats to the losers, however they give piki bread to the winner.

"Mak Va Hoi Taka" ~ A "Hunter" Kachina. A Hunter Kachina is the "hunter of game" rather than men. They are not the "Warrior" Kachinas, as Warrior Kachinas are known as the hunters of men....

"Puckoo Mo Taka" ~ A Runner Kachina known as the "Throwing Stick Man". He throws sticks at the person with whom he is racing. The sticks are made of cloth or leather to prevent injury. He has a "throwing stick" or "boomerang" painted on his facemask.

"Tuskipaya" ~ "Tuskipaya" is a Runner Kachina or a Racer. He is also known as the "Crazy Rattle" Kachina and runs with "Aya" in the Spring Races which are believed to bring the necessary rains and water for their crops.

"Ahulani" ~ One of the "Chief" Kachinas whose power is comparable to that of a religious elder in the real world. Chief Kachinas usually appear during the important nine day ceremonies and never in the common plaza dances. "Ahulani" is the first Kachina to return to First Mesa in the December Solstice Ceremony.

"Pachok'china" ~ Also referred to as the "Cocklebur Kachina". This "Plant" Kachina is also a racer who races with cockleburs in his hands, and puts the burrs in the hair of those he catches, as a penalty for losing the race.

"Natook Vooken" ~ Sometimes referred to as the "Navajo Kachina", it is half "Hano Clown" and half Navajo converted to Hopi. Appears in Mixed Dances on the plaza.

"Avachhoya" ~ Also known as "Speckled Corn Kachina". It is the younger brother of the "Hemis" Kachina and is usually impersonated by a young boy. The turkey feathers worn on his head point outwards to the four directions.

"Na-Ngasohu" ~ This Kachina wears an enormous head dress and carries a yucca whip and a bell. The Na-Ngasohu's usually appear in pairs during the Mixed Dances. Some Hopi believe it represents a planet, while others say it is a "Meteor" or the "Chasing Star".....

As you can see from the wear and tear on this book, I have certainly enjoyed it over the years.....

As I mentioned in my post on "Dolls and Toys of Native America"....I became fascinated with Kachinas in my teens....not only the Kachina Dolls, but everything to do with Kachinas....their dances, their significance, how a Hopi person became a member of a certain Kachina Clan...just about every aspect of the mystical Kachina Deities was exciting to learn or experience....the way we began to experience the "Kachinas" was by attending the various dances at the Hopi Mesas....we always attended only those that we were allowed to participate in, and we usually had a Hopi friend with us that would explain the various dances and ceremonies. Wes and I began collecting Kachina dolls the first year we were married. We visited the Mesas as often as we could and would buy directly from the Hopi carvers. Over the years I have purchased some of the dolls in our collection in shops or galleries, where I have come across a Kachina that is just too unusual or nice to pass up. I also sold many Kachinas at the gallery I worked at for 22 years prior to going on the net....The Kachinas were a "favorite" of mine to sell...I loved explaining the different meanings and roles the Kachinas played in their ceremonies to a buyer that was just starting out on the road to collecting. When you truly love what you are selling, it is not hard to get others enthused as well! About ten years ago, while on a buying trip, Wes and I were fortunate to come across some unique "Cradle Kachinas" carved by Hopi carver Ronald Yava. These are the simpler forms of Kachinas, carved traditionally from cottonwood root and given to infants to be hung in their cradles. The Hopi teach their young about the importance of the Kachinas in their culture at a very early age. It becomes a part of their daily lives and teachings. We purchased every "Cradle Kachina" that Ronald had...there were ten of them to be exact. Our plan was to sell them individually on the net when we returned home from the buying trip....but as I mentioned above, I have a genuine fascination for Kachinas, and these Kachinas "talked" to me the whole way back home, and told me that I just simply could not break them up, nor sell them. I listened (I always do ~LOL~) and I kept this outstanding set of Cradle Kachinas. You do not see them often. They are flat on one side to hang against the wall above a cradle or on the sides of the cradle. In early days they were also hung from the brim of a traditional cradleboard. These are all decorated with yarn representing "evergreens" around their necks, or fur and feathers, plus all have beaded "jocla" style necklaces. I knew where I would hang them the minute I returned home. They hang above my office window and the ten fit perfectly in a straight row above the window directly in front of my computer desk...I get to enjoy these carvings every day. Now, for those of you who have not yet been "introduced" into the magical and mystical world of Kachinas, you may not think this is any big deal....but after you attend the dances high atop the mesas and watch the Hopi Men (all but one Kachina are portrayed by men) re-enact the same dances and ceremonies they have been performimg for 100's of years and dressed in their elaborate Kachina garb....you will be hooked. Just the mere word "Kachina" conjurs up intriguing images and tales. I hope you enjoy seeing our "Cradle Kachinas"...and if you are interested in learning more about Kachina's, there are numerous books that have been written on them....a favorite of mine is "Hopi Kachinas ~ The Complete Guide to Collecting Kachina Dolls" by Barton Wright.

A Lesson to be Learned....Even With Dolls and Toys....

"Dolls and Toys of Native America"...a book I helped out with in the mid '90s......

Arapaho beaded hide doll pictured in this book on Dolls and Toys....

From our own collection....Benjamin Ottogary's "Fancy Dancer with Bustle" Shoshone beaded hide doll, and his late mother Cecelia Ottogary's "Mother with Cradleboard and Papoose" Doll....

Cecelia Ottogary Shoshone Smoked and Beaded hide "Shawl" and "Buffalo Dancer" dolls we bought from Cecelia in the early '90s.....

Traditional Navajo velvet doll as shown in the book.....

My velvet Navajo doll Wes bought me back in 1971 on a trip to Yellowstone, the year I graduated from high school...I named her "Yatahey" (Hello greeting in Navajo)....our daughters Phyllis and Liz played with her for many years after they were born, as you can see from the wear....

The tale of "Soyoko" as depicted in the book....

"Soyoko" and "Chaveyo" Hopi Ogre Kachina dolls we purchased from Lawrence Namoki in the 1970's while he lived in Brigham City, about fifty miles north of Salt Lake City....

Early miniature cradle boards for holding dolls shown in the book.....

Nez Perce' beaded bucksin doll cradleboard made by Barbara Schneider and gifted to us in the '90s.....

Small Cochiti child's drum we purchased from well known drum maker "Cochiti Ray" many years agao......

Maria Priscilla "Percy" Romero's Cochiti Frog Storyteller used in the book....

Our dear friend Maria Priscilla "Percy" Romero from Cochiti Pueblo made us this frog in the late 1970's....She is recognized in books on Storytellers for creating the first "Frog Storytellers"....

Percy's pottery Storyteller bears...she gifted me with the bear on the right many years ago, and it is signed "To Jill, Percy"

Page from book showing the Inuit carvings given to children....

Older Walrus tusk Ivory Inuit Polar Bear I purchased at an estate sale a few years back....

From the late 1970's up through 1999 I worked at a Native American art gallery in downtown Salt Lake City...I was there for twenty-two years, with four of those years overlapping with our Indian Summer website, which we started in 1996. During those many years at the gallery, I had wonderful opportunities to deal directly with the Native Americans who brought their wares in on a daily basis. Our Salt Lake City location was only four hours away from the Navajo Reservation to the south, and about three hours away from the Shoshone/Bannock Reservation to the north. We also had the Goshiute Reservation about thirty miles to the west of us, and the Ute Reservation to the east of us. An ideal location for Native Americans from these various tribes (and numerous others...like Paiute and Pueblo Indians)to drop in with their artwork, as we were usually "buying". During this time I made many friendships with the artists, and my interest that I had in Native American art before working at the gallery soared as I was right in the thick of it. I was very familiar with southwestern artwork, as my father and his family were all from New Mexico and I grew up surrounded by pueblo pottery, and turquoise jewelry. In my teens, I developed a genuine love for the pueblo pottery as well as a fascination for the Hopi Kachina dolls. Over the years we attended many Hopi dances at the mesas where we would see the Kachinas (portrayed by the Hopi men.... all but one Kachina is portrayed by the male, even if it is a female deity) dance...the same dances they had been doing for hundreds of years. We would stand silently and watch as "Soyoko" the Ogre Woman would go door to door in the villages with her band of Ogres, and ask the children for the mice and snakes they had been asked to fetch for her to eat the week prior....if they had not done what they were instructed to do, the fear of Soyoko eating the children was always a possibility. These ceremonies and dances were to teach lessons and pass down traditions...much like the "Dolls and Toys" of Native America are meant to do. My Shoshone friend Laine Thom who is well known for his beadwork and knowledge surrounding the history of Plains Indians was working on several books in the 90's..."Becoming Brave"...."Dancing Colors" and "In the Spirit of Native America" were just a few of his titles. He was asked to do a book on Dolls and Toys, but was unfamiliar with the southwestern aspect of the project, so since he would visit me daily at the gallery and sit around and visit while he worked on his beadwork, he asked me if I would help with the book. The book titled "Dolls and Toys of Native America" explains the significance of the toys made for Indian children, and the roles these toys helped the child learn. The Shoshone beaded hide dolls and Navajo velvet dolls taught the young girls nurturing, they were also important objects that marked milestones during childhood and helped her along the path to womanhood. The small "doll" cradleboards prepared the young girls for motherhood...they could practice lacing the toy cradle and rocking her doll to sleep in it. The buckskin dolls also represented warriors and were given to young boys as well, so they could grow up to be great warriors. The Hopi Kachina dolls carved from the root of cottonwood trees were given to the children as early as infancy and hung in their cradles. The more elaborate forms were given to older children to teach them and prepare them for the roles they would play in their ceremonies as they got older and would impersonate the deities in their rituals. As I mentioned above, Soyoko, as scary as she was, taught the children that there is a consequence to everything....if they did not do as they were told, she would eat them as legend had it. The Pueblo pottery Storytellers came about in the 1960's, but soon became an important "toy" or object for a child to have...it taught the importance of handing down traditions, from the wise elders to the young. Drums were favorites with the children of various tribes, and the drums were an important part of most Native American cultures, used in all of their ceremonies. In a world of white, the Alaskan Inuit Indians carved small figures from walrus tusks and the children were given these carvings as toys, but also as learning tools for when they got older and might come face to face with a polar bear....All dolls and toys taught the Native American children the skills that would benefit them throughout their lives. In this modern day of video games, ipods, and more, I marvel when I look at some of the "dolls and toys" in our own collection, at their simplicity....yet they have played such a role in shaping the lives of so many Native Americans for many, many decades. I enjoyed working with Laine on this project, and there is a small "thank you" to me for my help at the back of the book. The Native American culture is so fascinating, all aspects of it....if you are interested in "Dolls and Toys of Native America", it is an interesting read, and something I was proud to be a small part of.

A New Addition......

Annie or Fannie....you can't go wrong with either name on old Hopi pottery....

We are thrilled to add this beautiful bowl to our collection!

Wow! I am impressed! My sister and I had not gotten together to exchange Christmas gifts until yesterday afternoon....she had been sick over the holidays, and then Wes came down with the "dreaded gaumboo" as well...so yesterday was the first chance we had to get together and exchange presents! A second Christmas...and very fitting for January 6th..."Three King's Day"! My sister was very generous (as she always is) with her gifts! Wes and I were gifted with a large old Hopi pottery bowl that my sister had found in a second hand shop, she knew that it was a real "find"...and it most definitely was! This old "Sikyatki" design bowl has the faint signature of either Annie or Fannie Nampeyo! We will be researching it, and try to figure out which of these two famous daughters of the legendary potter "Nampeyo" it was actually made by. The design is a "Sun" symbol with geometric rain and water patterns. It is a large piece measuring 10 1/2" across by almost 3" deep. That is good sized, as nowadays most of the pottery coming out of the Hopi villages is much smaller. We met Fannie at Santa Fe Indian Market in the 1970's, but Annie had passed away in 1968, a few years before we started attending "Market". Nampeyo was born sometime around 1860 at First Mesa, Arizona. She learned pottery at a very young age and was an excellent potter when she married her husband "Lesou" who was a member of an archaeological crew. They were excavating old ruins on the mesas, and Nampeyo began taking designs off the pottery shards found at the old "Sikyatki" site and revived these ancient designs through her wares. In the early 1900's the Fred Harvey Company at the Grand Canyon began promoting Nampeyo's work, and she beacame the most well known and sought after potter from the Hopi villages. Fannie and Annie, along with their sister Nellie and brother Wesley all learned their mother's skills and techniques, and became well known for their wares as well. Fannie and Annie helped Nampeyo with the painting on her wares when her vision began to fail. Nampeyo passed away in 1942....leaving behind a great legacy, and a number of descendants who have kept Nampeyo's designs and techniques alive and thriving! Wes and I are thrilled to add this beautiful piece of pottery to our collection.....pottery is truly our "first love". It will always hold a place of honor in our home and be well cared for.... I am sure there is quite a tale and a lot of history with this wonderful old bowl...if only it could talk! Thank you Julie, for this very special gift!

All Beadwork on Sale at Indian Summer.....

Navajo fringed Beaded Bag.....

Buckskin Navajo Pouch......

Zuni Beaded Horse......

Traditional Zuni Beaded Owl......

Pueblo Beaded Dragonfly.....

Zuni Beaded Turtle Amulet....helps ensure long life!

Zuni beaded "wooly" sheep.....

Navajo "Corn" Earrings....

Shoshone Beaded Moccasin Key Ring....

Paiute Beaded Key Ring.....

Beaded Navajo Velvet Doll....

We're having a great sale at Indian Summer Native American Art! We are currently offering a 25% discount on ALL of our traditional handmade beadwork! Beadwork is becoming a thing of the past....this craft that was perfected during the "Reservation Period" is sadly becoming a lost art. During the "Reservation Period" when the various Indian tribes were rounded up by the U.S. Government and put onto reservations, beading skills excelled....sadly, this was due to the Indian no longer being nomadic, nor needing to hunt for their food, or just go about their every day lives that they had once known. Many Native Americans have told me that this was the only "good" thing that came out of this era...beading skills and techniques were perfected. I have known many beadwork artists over the years....most of them were and are elderly and were handed down the knowledge and skill of beading by relatives long since passed away. Beadwork is very tedious and requires good vision and nimble fingers to work with the small beads...this is something that a lot of us tend to lose as we get older....so many of our "beaders" no longer are able to create the traditional pouches, ration bags and beaded adornments they once spent hours and hours of their lives doing due to poor vision and arthritis....and unfortunately, the majority of the younger generation is not willing to learn these age old beading techniques, so traditional beadwork is becoming harder and harder to come by. If you don't have a piece of traditional beadwork in your Native American collection, now is a good time to purchase a little piece of history. We look forward to hearing from you!