New Old-Style Katsina Dolls by Chester Poleyestewa

Some years ago, the Hopi Tribal Council decided that the dolls that were called Kachinas should be given their traditional Hopi name of Katsinas.


What I have found is that most carvers still use the term Kachina, and we often do as well. There is no disrespect intended and we try to use whatever the carver prefers. In this writing I will probably go back and forth.

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Who Doesn't Love a Buffalo?

Thursday, October 11, 2018 8:00 AM

Who Doesn't Love a Buffalo?

The American Bison or as we call it, the Buffalo, roamed the plains of the American West virtually unchallenged by natural predators. They were an essential part of life for the Indians of the plains. The Buffalo provided food, hides for teepees, clothing and robes for winter. The leather was used for bridles, shields, bows and many other things.

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Hopi and Zuni Katsina Dolls

Saturday, February 27, 2021 11:22 AM

Hopi and Zuni Katsina Dolls

If you are from the Denver area, and old enough, you might remember a time when the gift shop at the Denver Museum of Natural History had one of the finest selections of Native American Indian arts and crafts in the country. It’s now known as the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.

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New Katsinas by Chester Poleyestewa

Thursday, January 25, 2024 5:51 PM

New Katsinas by Chester Poleyestewa

The Katsina Dances on the Hopi Mesas start in winter and continue into July when the Kachina spirits (Katsinam) go to their home until the following year. At Third Mesa, where Chester Poleyestewa is from, the dances begin when the Katsinam arrive on the Mesa in December. At First and Second Mesas, they arrive in February.

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