Hopi Second Mesa Version of Maak’katsina (Red Shirt Hunter) [R]

This katsina, sometimes call the Maak Katsina, is considered to be an import from Laguna Pueblo to the Hopi Mesas. This version is from Second Mesa as defined by wearing a red shirt or red painted body.

This katsina was illustrated by Jesse Walter Fewkes in Plate XLVII of his publication Hopi Kachinas but Fewkes referred to him as "Kwacas Alex Taka," which translates to "eagle feathers erect man" which is based on the two erect feathers on the head.  (These are not eagle feathers on this doll).

Fred Kabotie, famous Hopi artist, illustrated a pair of this katsina in his 1938 watercolor painting "Hunting Dance from Laguna." The katsina is sometimes referred to at Hopi as a Hunter Katsina.

The katsina doll is painted with blue mineral paint on the face, armbands, skirt hem and moccasins.  The katsina doll probably dates to no later than the 1930s.

Condition: The katsina doll is really in excellent condition for a carving of its age.

Provenance: ex. museum collection.  In the 1930s, a gentleman travelled extensively and purchased dolls for his daughter from throughout the world.  The daughter displayed them in a private museum during the 1930-1941 periods.  Just recently, the contents of the museum were sold at auction.  This is one of the 16 katsina dolls from the museum.

References: Fred Kabotie: Hopi Indian Artist, an autobiography told with Bill Belknap, Museum of Northern Arizona. 1977.

Kachinas: A Hopi Artist's Documentary by Barton Wright, Northland Press, 1973.