Hopi Pueblo Aya (Rattle) Katsina Doll Carving

This Hopi Aya Katsina doll is also known as the Rattle Katsina. When performing he carries yucca whips in both hands which will be used on an unfortunate loser of a foot race. 

His painted loincloth, green neck ruff, red body paint and white lower body colors are traditional for this doll. He was carved with good body proportions and painted appropriately with fine detail and appears to date to the pre-World War II period, prior to the use of shiny acrylic paints.

The doll is characterized by the white head mask marked with a central black cross motif on the face, side circular discs featuring red sunburst rays, and a prominent tall red cone extending from the top. There is a green spruce ruff (collar) around the neck. The body features a red torso with yellow accents, a painted traditional white kilt, a decorated rain-sash, and red moccasins.

Many types of katsinas carry a rattle in one hand when they participate in a plaza dance. The rattle is made from a dried, painted gourd and filled with pebbles or dry corn kernels and then fitted with a wooden handle.  It makes a clattering sound as it is shaken.

Aya Katsina is a katsina whose head looks like the brightly painted rattles that are among the gifts given by katsinas to children at Powamu and Niman ceremonies. The head of the Aya Katsina resembles the painted design found on gourd rattles.

These katsinas may appear in a line dance or a mixed dance, but usually appear as one of the several runner katsinas in the spring races when the runner katsinas come to the village plaza to challenge men and boys to races. Whether he loses or wins the race, the man who has been challenged receives a gift, usually food, from the katsina he races. If he loses, however, he also receives a punishment as well. The victorious runner katsina, holding two yucca whips in his hands, metes out punishment by whipping the unfortunate loser of the race. Awareness of the possibility of a whipping gives greater motivation to the runners.

What is a Kachina?

Condition: this Hopi Pueblo Aya (Rattle) Katsina Doll Carving is in very good condition.  

Provenance: from the extensive collection of a client from California

Recommended Reading and Reference: Wright, Barton. Kachinas: a Hopi Artist's Documentary

TAGS: Kachina – Katsina Doll, Hopi Pueblo