Hopi Rugan (Corn Dancer) Katsina [SOLD]

This katsina appears during the spring dances as a means of promoting the growth of corn. A line of Corn Dancers appears facing a line of female companions who use sheep scapulae and rasps along with gourds to produce music.

The basic carving is from a single piece of cottonwood root, a very difficult and demanding process. The bundle of feathers on the top of the mask appears to be the only addition to the one-piece carving. The bundle of feathers, itself, is all from one piece of wood. It has to be carved separately from the doll because of the direction of the grain of the cottonwood root.

It takes exceptional planning to carve a piece of this difficulty without making a mistake. Talashoma is one of the few who were capable of this in the 1980s when this carving was completed.

Carvers of this style which began in the early 1970s, abandoned the use of brightly colored acrylic paints in favor of more muted colors, derived from water-based paints or, in some cases, oil-based stains. This carving is an older one, probably circa 1980s, but is still in original excellent condition.

This Katsina is featured in the New Mexico Magazine August 2009 Native American Issue article “Get Dolled Up: Show off these Native American treasures in your home.” A copy of this magazine issue is included with the purchase of this doll.