Hopi Pueblo All Wood Horo Mana, Cold Bringing Woman Katsina Doll

Kevin Pochoema: Cold Bringing Woman (Horo Mana) Masterpiece 

This extraordinary, all-wood katsina doll, carved in March 2018 by contemporary master Kevin Pochoema, embodies the peak of his technical artistry. The katsina chosen for this piece is the Horo Mana (Cold Bringing Woman), also called Yohozoro Wuhti, a figure from the Tewa villages of First Mesa who appears during the Powamu ceremonies.

Mastery of the Single-Piece Carving

Pochoema's work is governed by a strict rule: the katsina, excluding minimal attachments, must be carved from a single piece of cottonwood root. He begins by meticulously studying the raw wood, visualizing how the figure must be oriented to fit entirely within the root's boundaries.

This carving demonstrates his complete mastery of this constraint, particularly in two seemingly impossible areas:

1. The Hair: One is immediately drawn to the Horo Mana's hair, which drapes over her face and flows into an intricate maze of complicated swirls behind her head. Pochoema confirms that every grouping of hair was carved from the original wood, with none added or glued in place-a near-impossible feat of tangles and curves.

2. The Cape Swirls: Equally amazing are the swirls carved into the cape draped over her shoulders. The slightest miscalculation with the knife would have broken off the delicate ends of these swirls, yet the artist succeeded flawlessly.

Form, Symbolism, and Detail

The Horo Mana brings the "whiteness of winter," and the tradition is honored by applying a mellow white stain over the face and the cape, contrasting beautifully with the natural browns of the wood beneath.

• Posture and Intent: As the Cold Bringing Woman, she carries an exaggerated comb in one hand used to muss up people's hair when she appears with her grandson, Nuvak'china.

• Manta and Basket: Other highlights include the natural folds in the manta under her raised arm and the fluid movement of the embroidered hem. The basket on her back, a separate attachment, is meticulously carved to represent a true basket, with the rods and weft clearly defined.

• Base: A fascinating detail is the cliff dwelling village carved directly into the pedestal, further rooting the figure in the landscape of the Hopi mesas.

The only additions to the main carving are the basket, staff, and the feathers in her ears; all other elements were born from the original cottonwood root.

The Powamu Context

The Horo Mana appears during the Powamu ceremony (False Spring in February), a time when the world and the children are ritually cleansed and prepared for the new season of growth. This period features great throngs of katsinas, protected by guards and warriors, and followed by clowns, marking the initiation of children into the Katsina Cult.

This carving is considered to be as fine a katsina doll as one could produce. Kevin Pochoema remains one of the premier master katsina doll carvers working today.

What is a Katsina? 

Condition: this Hopi Pueblo All Wood Horo Mana, Cold Bringing Woman Katsina Doll is in excellent condition with some repairs to the staff and basket

Provenance: Purchased by Adobe Gallery from the artist in March 2018, and then sold to a client from whose estate we have it back

Reference: Hopi Kachinas The Complete Guide to Collecting Kachina Dolls by Barton Wright

TAGS: Hopi Pueblo,  Kachina - Katsina Doll, Kevin Pochoema