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- 210728-095 Hopi Cow or Wakas Kachina / Katsina Doll; 9" Kachina Rattle
210728-095 Hopi Cow or Wakas Kachina / Katsina Doll; 9" Kachina Rattle
Hopi Kachina / Katsina Doll; 9" Kachina Rattle with red yarn hair;
Late 20th Century
Hand Carved Cottonwood Root
Very unusual to have a full Katsina formed as a Rattle.
The Cow or Wakas Kachina is a recent addition into the Hopi roster of kachinas. It started around the turn of the century, and it was introduced by a Hano man on First Mesa. Its name derived from the Spanish name for cows: vaca. During the dance, villagers would take a feather from him to put into their houses and corrals so that it could increase their stock of cattle.
A kachina (/kəˈtʃiːnə/; also katchina, katcina, or katsina; Hopi: katsina [kaˈtsʲina], plural katsinim [kaˈtsʲinim]) is a spirit being in the religious beliefs of the Pueblo peoples, Native American cultures located in the south-western part of the United States. Dolls are carved traditionally as teaching tools for the children as Oral Traditions as facilitated with the dolls. Each doll has a story associated, sometimes historical events, sometimes the physical world and sometimes the mystical. In the Pueblo cultures, kachina rites are practiced by the Hopi, Zuni, Hopi-Tewa, and certain Keresan tribes, as well as in most Pueblo tribes in New Mexico.
Due to the fragile nature of kachina dolls, we do not guarantee they will not break during shipping. We do our best to pack them well, but due to their fragile nature and even with the best packing, small pieces can break. If you are purchasing kachina dolls, please keep this in mind.