130703-85 Kachina Black Ogre Large by Everett Tawahongva
c. 1985
18 1/2" overall height
Hand carved from cottonwood root; with minor wear to feathers but overall in Excellent Condition.
The Black Ogre (Nata-aska), and the White Ogre (Wiharu), are disciplinarians who appear around the time of the Powamuya Ceremony. Both carry a saw (sometimes a knife) as well as a bow and arrows for hunting. Their outstanding feature is their long, flapping jaws, which they can clack quite loudly. The purpose of these Katsinas is to reinforce the Hopi way of life to the children of the Pueblo. These Ogres accompany Soyoko on her trip to collect food from the children. As a means of discipline, children are told the Ogres can swallow them whole, unless they are good little children. The fierce and threatening behavior of these Katsinas strikes fear into the children, but they are eventually saved from imminent danger by the people of their Pueblo. Anglos would call these Katsina the boogymen.