GENERAL DESCRIPTION
For the Hopi, the word kachina (katsina) refers to three distinct but related entities: the invisible spirits who are an essential part of Hopi life, the personification of those spirits in ceremonial dances, and the carved and decorated dolls that the kachinas give to infants and women. Kachinas serve as intermediaries between the supernatural and human realms. They are generally bringers of clouds, rain, and all good things.
Kachinas (katsinam) present themselves in our world for the annual period falling just after the winter solstice and concluding after the summer solstice. For the remainder of the year, these ancestral spirits occupy an underworld accessed through the sipapu, or vertical entranceway.
Young Hopi women wear tabletas on their heads in social dances, such as the Butterfly Dance. This tableta features ears of red and yellow corn below a central sun kachina face. Stepped cloud and lightning designs frame the top panel. Notably, this panel utilizes yellow, red, white, and green/blue, the four directional Hopi colors.
Adapted from
- Kimberly L. Jones, PhD, Hopi Visions: Journey of the Human Spirit, Gallery text [Kachina (katsina)], 2018.
- Kimberly L. Jones, PhD, Hopi Visions: Journey of the Human Spirit, Label text, 2018.
NOTES
Hopi, c. 1955 (noted on TMS), updated by KJones on 04/10/17.
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Cultures
Hopi: AAT: 300017763
Southwestern North American styles (Pre-Columbian): AAT: 300016920
Pueblo (Native American style): AAT: 300017746
Geography
Arizona (state): TGN: 7006451
Southwest (general region): TGN: 4010660
Process/materials
wood (plant material): AAT: 300011914
pigment: AAT: 300013109
paint (coating): AAT: 300015029
carving: AAT: 300053149
Historical periods
Individuals
Subject terms
tableta (Hopi ceremonial headdress): DMA
sculpture: AAT: 300047090
costume: AAT: 300209261
ceremonial costume: AAT: 300210387
ceremonial objects: AAT: 300234117
headdresses: AAT: 300046023
dance (discipline): AAT: 300054144
dancing: AAT: 300389779
ritual (events): AAT: 300065284
Palhik’ Mana (Water Drinking Girl/Butterfly Kachina Girl/Hopi kachina/Mamzrau Initiation Dance): DMA
yellow (color): AAT: 300127794
red (color): AAAT: 300126225
white (color): AAT: 300129784
green (color): AAT: 300128438
blue (color): AAT: 300129361
black (color): AAT: 300130920
purple (color): AAT: 300130257
animals (Animalia kingdom): AAT: 300249395
butterflies (general): AAT: 300417320
plant-derived motifs: AAT: 300164599
plants (living organisms): AAT: 300132360
corn (zea mays species): AAT: 377375398
maize (plant/zea mays species): AAT: 300375398
faces (animal or human components): AAT: 300251798
heads (representations): AAT: 300262520
suns (stars): AAT: 300379806
geometric motifs: AAT: 300009764
geometric patterns: AAT: 300165213
geometric shape: AAT: 300263819
lines (geometric concept): AAT: 300056279
circles (plane figures): AAT: 300055627
triangles (polygons): AAT: 300009806
rectangles (parallelograms): AAT: 300055636
zigzags (geometric patterns): AAT: 300165028
step pattern: AAT: 300010229
linear forms: AAT: 300234452
cardinal directions (compass points): AAT: 300078457
figurine: AAT: 300047455
kachina / katsina dolls (figurines): AAT: 300211323
effigies (funerary sculpture): AAT: 300047108
tihu (kachina / katsina dolls): DMA
educational functions: AAT: 300132460
figures: AAT: 300189808
seasons: AAT: 300133091
ceremonies: AAT: 300054754
spirit: AAT: 300379007
supernatural (concepts): AAT: 300055947
deities: AAT: 300343850
clouds: AAT: 300343840
rain (precipitation / water): AAT: 300055377
lightning: AAT: 300068795
infants (children): AAT: 300189561
women (female humans): AAT: 300025943
men (male humans): AAT: 300025928
masks (costume): AAT: 300138758
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
From 1990: Dallas Museum of Art, gift of The Dozier Foundation [1]
[1] The main source for this provenance is existing information in TMS. Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
AUDIO ASSETS
VIDEO ASSETS
IMAGE ASSETS
WEB RESOURCES
ARCHIVAL RESOURCES
FUN FACTS
TEACHING IDEAS
RULES
Apply to objects where number equals DS.1990.41
Category
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General Description
For the Hopi, the word kachina (katsina) refers to three distinct but related entities: the invisible spirits who are an essential part of Hopi life, the personification of those spirits in ceremonial dances, and the carved and decorated dolls that the kachinas give to infants and women. Kachinas serve as intermediaries between the supernatural and human realms. They are generally bringers of clouds, rain, and all good things.
Kachinas (katsinam) present themselves in our world for the annual period falling just after the winter solstice and concluding after the summer solstice. For the remainder of the year, these ancestral spirits occupy an underworld accessed through the sipapu, or vertical entranceway.
Young Hopi women wear tabletas on their heads in social dances, such as the Butterfly Dance. This tableta features ears of red and yellow corn below a central sun kachina face. Stepped cloud and lightning designs frame the top panel. Notably, this panel utilizes yellow, red, white, and green/blue, the four directional Hopi colors.
Adapted from
- Kimberly L. Jones, PhD, Hopi Visions: Journey of the Human Spirit, Gallery text [Kachina (katsina)], 2018.
- Kimberly L. Jones, PhD, Hopi Visions: Journey of the Human Spirit, Label text, 2018.
Fun Facts
Archival Resources
Web Resources
Notes
Hopi, c. 1955 (noted on TMS), updated by KJones on 04/10/17.
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Cultures
Hopi: AAT: 300017763
Southwestern North American styles (Pre-Columbian): AAT: 300016920
Pueblo (Native American style): AAT: 300017746
Geography
Arizona (state): TGN: 7006451
Southwest (general region): TGN: 4010660
Process/materials
wood (plant material): AAT: 300011914
pigment: AAT: 300013109
paint (coating): AAT: 300015029
carving: AAT: 300053149
Historical periods
Individuals
Subject terms
tableta (Hopi ceremonial headdress): DMA
sculpture: AAT: 300047090
costume: AAT: 300209261
ceremonial costume: AAT: 300210387
ceremonial objects: AAT: 300234117
headdresses: AAT: 300046023
dance (discipline): AAT: 300054144
dancing: AAT: 300389779
ritual (events): AAT: 300065284
Palhik’ Mana (Water Drinking Girl/Butterfly Kachina Girl/Hopi kachina/Mamzrau Initiation Dance): DMA
yellow (color): AAT: 300127794
red (color): AAAT: 300126225
white (color): AAT: 300129784
green (color): AAT: 300128438
blue (color): AAT: 300129361
black (color): AAT: 300130920
purple (color): AAT: 300130257
animals (Animalia kingdom): AAT: 300249395
butterflies (general): AAT: 300417320
plant-derived motifs: AAT: 300164599
plants (living organisms): AAT: 300132360
corn (zea mays species): AAT: 377375398
maize (plant/zea mays species): AAT: 300375398
faces (animal or human components): AAT: 300251798
heads (representations): AAT: 300262520
suns (stars): AAT: 300379806
geometric motifs: AAT: 300009764
geometric patterns: AAT: 300165213
geometric shape: AAT: 300263819
lines (geometric concept): AAT: 300056279
circles (plane figures): AAT: 300055627
triangles (polygons): AAT: 300009806
rectangles (parallelograms): AAT: 300055636
zigzags (geometric patterns): AAT: 300165028
step pattern: AAT: 300010229
linear forms: AAT: 300234452
cardinal directions (compass points): AAT: 300078457
figurine: AAT: 300047455
kachina / katsina dolls (figurines): AAT: 300211323
effigies (funerary sculpture): AAT: 300047108
tihu (kachina / katsina dolls): DMA
educational functions: AAT: 300132460
figures: AAT: 300189808
seasons: AAT: 300133091
ceremonies: AAT: 300054754
spirit: AAT: 300379007
supernatural (concepts): AAT: 300055947
deities: AAT: 300343850
clouds: AAT: 300343840
rain (precipitation / water): AAT: 300055377
lightning: AAT: 300068795
infants (children): AAT: 300189561
women (female humans): AAT: 300025943
men (male humans): AAT: 300025928
masks (costume): AAT: 300138758
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
From 1990: Dallas Museum of Art, gift of The Dozier Foundation [1]
[1] The main source for this provenance is existing information in TMS. Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
AUDIO ASSETS
VIDEO ASSETS
rules
Apply To
Objects
number
Equals
DS.1990.41
source file
object_notes_3_d-0020.xml.nores