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Kachina Doll (Kokopol)

Arts of the Americas

 In the southwestern United States, a supernatural being that represents a life-force or embodies a natural phenomenon such as the sun, the moon, a plant, or an animal is called a koko by the Zuni and a katsina (commonly anglicized as “kachina”) by the Hopi. Such beings have the power to control rainfall, crop growth, and fertility; to cure and protect; and to act as messengers between the gods and human beings. Carved kachina figures, also known as kachina dolls, are representations of these spirits and can have a sacred or an educational purpose. During some ceremonies, the carvings are given to community members to reward virtuous behavior, recognize a recent marriage, or teach children about religion. In the 1800s, a lively market for the carvings developed among non-Native collectors and tourists, giving rise to the elaborate art form that flourishes today.
CULTURE Hopi Pueblo
MEDIUM Wood, pigment, cotton, wool, hide, feathers, horsehair
DATES late 19th century (probably)
DIMENSIONS 13 x 5 3/4 in. (33 x 14.6 cm)  (show scale)
COLLECTIONS Arts of the Americas
ACCESSION NUMBER 04.297.5575
CREDIT LINE Museum Expedition 1904, Museum Collection Fund
CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION Male kachina doll Kokopelli, with horsehair and large feather attached to top of his head. His face is black with white horizontal stripes for eyes and a white vertical stripe bisecting his face. The nose is cone-shaped and painted with pattern of horizontal stripes, the body is decorated in red and light green. Belt is wide and made of white cotton twine. Right hand holds rattle. Back is carved as a hunchback. Condition: Surface wear.
MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view
CAPTION Hopi Pueblo. Kachina Doll (Kokopol), late 19th century (probably). Wood, pigment, cotton, wool, hide, feathers, horsehair, 13 x 5 3/4 in. (33 x 14.6 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Museum Expedition 1904, Museum Collection Fund, 04.297.5575. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 04.297.5575_cropped_SL3.jpg)
IMAGE overall, 04.297.5575_cropped_SL3.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph
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RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY
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