(Left to right: Apache Warrior Buffalo, two small in the first case are vintage Route 66 kachinas, large in the same case is a damaged Hopi Katsina made by Darin Masawytewa in 1994 that was rescued from the Goodwill store, the middle is a traditional Honan Katsina made by Brent Brokeshoulder, the large mudhead in the right is an older Hopi that is unsigned and the small one next to it is also a Hopi doll made by Leonard Shupla Sr.).
Katsina, or kachina dolls have been around
for centuries and originally were a way to teach children about their ancestral
and religious history amongst the spirits for Hopi cultures. The dolls are
known to be the spirits, elements or animals whereas the dolls were crafted to
represent a certain person, animal or deity for ceremonies. Over the past
century, these pieces of art are quite popular among tourists and art
collectors. During the popular times of Route 66, there were many buildings designed
as Indian structures and knowledge of Indian cultures gained popularity as
travelers went westward on Route 66. Many gas stations, restaurants, and other
areas had shops that tourists could shop at. With the increased popularity of
Indian arts and crafts, Route 66 Kachinas gained popularity. These, such as the
two small examples in the left plastic holder, were small and didn’t have much
detail as traditional kachinas. These were made quickly and cheaply to sell to
tourists and they were quite popular in the 1940s into the 70s, or when Route
66 declined with the building of the interstate system.
Afterward, more
detailed kachina dolls were crafted by American Indians to make them look more authentic
but were made from artists from different tribes than the Hopi. Traditional
katsina dolls are made by the Hopi craftsmen and the art is traditionally
passed down from generation to generation and the artists take pride in their
work. Though popular amongst tourists and collectors, cheaper alternative
kachinas are made by Indian artists from tribes such as the Apache. An example
of these types of dolls, which are more detailed in a sense of more fur and
attached details, is the white buffalo warrior on the far left. These are much
cheaper than authentic Hopi dolls since the parts are typically premade and are
glued together. These are still unique as each artist creates them differently
and adds different features but are made much quicker which can create their
price point cheaper. These types of kachina dolls are most commonly found
throughout stores and collectors since they’re easier to find and have much
lower price points.
The more expensive ones that are harder to come by are the
authentic Hopi katsinas. Only certain artists can make these and the bloodline
of the artists go deep for many of the carvers. Examples of Hopi dolls are the
three larger ones in each of the plastic holders and the smaller one in the
right holder. If you notice the black doll in the middle, there is a string
around the neck which is typical of a traditional Hopi doll since, after a
ceremony, the dolls were meant to hang up on the wall. With over 200 types of
kachina dolls, the Hopi dolls are made out of a single piece of cottonwood
unlike the other types of kachinas which have attached parts. Authentic Hopi
dolls are not only a single piece but are detailed in carvings and painted with
care and pride. When shopping for a katsina or kachina, be aware not to spend a
lot on a non-traditional Kachina. Even though they may look nice, a lot of
sellers do not realize the difference and charge more than what they should. Both
non-Hopi and Hopi dolls are signed on the bottom of the piece but a lot of the
times, the non-Hopi dolls are illegible. Nonetheless, each is unique in their
own way since they are handmade and are quite nice on display and each has a
different meaning of such interesting cultures.
