Hopi Great Horned Owl Woman (Mongwa Wuhti) Katsina Doll [SOLD]

Special Value Offer: The consignor has requested that we reduce this katsina doll by 25% from the original price of $2250 to $1685.

The Great Horned Owl Katsina, as a warrior, is relentless in persecuting the clowns. He stands to the edge of the dance circle while the clowns are performing and he watches disapprovingly of their antics. Near the end of the dance, a group of Mongwa swoops down on the clowns and beat them with yucca whips, douses them with water, and leaves them piled up in the center of the plaza in pain.

The Great Horned Owl Wuhti (female) has only been published in Fewkes' article on Hopi Katsinas and has appeared nowhere else. Present-day Hopi are not aware of the female version so perhaps it has not been seen in over a hundred years.

This version of the Mongwa Wuhti is beautifully carved and painted. She wears a fringed manta, by which the small Mongwa Katsina is secured, and wooden feathers on her head. The younger one carries a rattle in his hands.

Brian Honyouti is an educator at Hopi and it is not surprising that he would research the literature and find a Katsina not presently known at Hopi but one which most likely existed decades ago before the current Hopi populace was around.

The carving is from a single piece of wood and only the feathers on the two katsinas have been added. It is signed with the initials of the artist, Brian Honyouti.

Condition: It is in original excellent condition.

Provenance: The carving dates to 1988 at which time I purchased it from the carver and subsequently sold it to a client who has now decided to place it on consignment so we could sell it for him.