Hopi Sakwahon Katsina, Blue Face Bear Kachina Doll

This circa 1940s katsina doll is a blue face Bear Katsina. He has pop eyes, a snout with teeth, and bear tracks on both cheeks. His body is two toned in red and yellow paints. He wears a pueblo style nugget necklace, a Hopi embroidered sash, and red woven belt. His moccasins are blue. He carries nothing in both hands.

According to Harold S. Colton, First and Second Mesa Bear Katsinas are similar in style, but those at Third Mesa vary from the other mesas, and vary within Third Mesa as well. There are Bear katsinas with black masks, yellow masks, white masks, and like this one, blue mask. [Colton,1959:40]

The Bear katsina is of such great strength that he can cure the sick. He appears in the Soyal Ceremony at First Mesa as the watchman or side dancer for the Chakwaina. He also may appear in the Palölökong Dance singly or in a group, as well as in the Mixed Katsina Dance, dancing outside the lines. His most distinctive feature is the presence of a bear's footprint on either cheek. [Wright, 1973:114]

What is a Katsina?

Condition: very good condition with minor crack at left shoulder

Provenance: this Hopi Sakwahon Katsina, Blue Face Bear Kachina Doll is from the collection of a client from the East Coast

References:

- Colton, Harold S. Hopi Kachina Dolls: with a Key to their Identification

- Wright, Barton. KACHINAS A Hopi Artist's Documentary

TAGS: Katsina Dolls, Hopi Pueblo, Hopi Kachina Dolls