How Do You Make A Kachina Doll?
Authentic Kachina dolls (pronounced kah-CHEE-nah) represent religious spirits the Hopi Indians believe in. From December through July, the Hopi men wear costumes and masks to represent a Kachina spirit they feel they’re reflective of during the tribe’s ceremonial season. The Kachinas are of high religious importance to the Hopi Indians, as well as the Zuni tribes. Children are given Kachina dolls to learn the century old traditions of spiritual beliefs. Study which Kachina doll you want to carve. Obtain photos and diagrams of the Kachina doll carved by a Hopi Indian craftsmen. Research what the Kachina represents; for example, for luck in buffalo hunting you might want to carve a “Buffalo Maiden.” Others might include the “Wakes (cow) Kachina” or the “Talasohn” which is the Zuni warrior. There are many names of other Kachinas that can represent health, death spirits, abundance in crops, and passages in the Hopi and Zuni cultures. Some of these will take on the persona of a person, the
