Hopi Hummingbird (Tocha) Katsina Doll [SOLD]

This exceptional carving of the Tocha Katsina (Hummingbird) is a beautiful example of traditional Hopi artistry, likely dating to the early 1940s based on its construction and pigments.

The main figure was carved from a single piece of cottonwood root, with only the arms, ears, mouth, and the distinct hummingbird effigy attached separately. The use of water-based pigments for coloring the figure strongly suggests an early dating, placing this doll around the early 1940s.

The Katsina mask is topped by a finely carved figure of a hummingbird, which is further embellished with a vibrant array of feathers. The Katsina is dressed in a traditional costume, representing a cotton kilt and an embroidered sash hanging off the right side. He wears characteristic blue moccasins.

According to scholar Barton Wright, the Hummingbird (Tocha) is a favorite kiva impersonation. These "brilliant figures" are known to appear during ceremonies like the Bean Dance and the Soyal, characterized by their sharp calls and rapid, bobbing dance movements.

This doll is an excellent representation of the Tocha Katsina. The absence of a wooden base suggests the doll was intended for traditional Hopi use. Historically, these dolls were carved by a male family member and presented to a female family member by a Katsina dancer during a public ceremony. Dolls made for this traditional purpose were never mounted on a stand but were instead strung through the neck so they could be hung from the rafters of a Hopi home, serving as educational tools and spiritual reminders for the girls. Dolls made for the commercial market are generally mounted on a disk to stand alone.

What is a Kachina?

Condition: The doll is in good condition overall but there is a lateral crack on the back left side from the mask to the end of the kilt. There is some blue overpaint on the back side of the mask. 

Provenance: this Hopi Hummingbird (Tocha) Katsina Doll is from the collection of a client from California.

Reference and Recommended Reading: Wright, Barton. Kachinas: a Hopi artist’s documentary. Northland Press, Flagstaff, 1973

TAGS: Kachina – Katsina Doll, Hopi Pueblo