Hopi Longhair Katsina Sculpture

Name: Hopi Longhair Katsina Sculpture
SKU: Shirley Honie-9341
Availability: InStock

Hopi Carved Longhair Katsina Sculpture

The Longhair (Angak’china) is originally from Zuni Pueblo. Longhair appears at most Hopi Mesas. She wears her hair loose on her back to represent falling rain. She is one of the most popular of all Katsinam. These Katsinam appear in a group and sing a very powerful melodious song which may be one of the reasons that they are such favorites. They often appear at the Home Dance (Niman).Their purpose is to bring rain, and it is said that they seldom dance without the appearance of a soft gentle rain to help the crops grow. This is a very sweet sculpture by Shirley with the Sunface peeking out from below the beard of the Longhair.

Dimensions:

7.5 in. tall complete

SKU

Shirley Honie–9341

Hopi Katsinam are crafted to acknowledge celestial beings, significant animals to the Hopi people, and the ancestors who help with their harvest, raising their spirits as well as raising their children. The Hopi people believe that the Katsina dancers possess supernatural powers, though they are men from the village wearing masks and feathered costumes.

“Some Native objects can inspire awe in non-Native viewers, much in the way that one might respond to a fine work of art without knowing the cultural background of the imagery. The most intriguing objects ….are those that “remind us of what came before” and that have “an intense attention to detail, and an inherent beauty.” Anyone who walks in the room should be affected by it, even if they have no idea about the context behind it. We agreed that there is something compelling about the katsina (often called kachina) standing before us.” *By: Margaret Bruchac An Object Beautiful

There are hundreds of Hopi Katsinam, “personations” of supernatural beings, important animals and ancestors who help the Hopi people raise their crops, their children, and their spirits. The Katsina dancers are men wearing masks–each of which represents a particular Katsina–and paint and feathered costumes. Everyone in the village, aside from the children, knows that the Katsina dancers are actually men from the village, though Katsinam are still believed to have supernatural powers. Much of the value in these dances is found to be instructing the young. Hand carved and collector items. Signed and numbered.

All her carvings are Signed and numbered.

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