Hopi Pueblo Katsina Doll Carving of Ho’ote

This carving displays classic mid-20th-century Hopi traditional carving techniques, iconographic details, and structural features characteristic of a Ho'ote Katsina. Yet, there is an unusual addition not normally found in such carvings. We will define that later.

The head features the distinctive curved, wide horns — colored black with blue accents on the front and solid red on the reverse.

The black face mask is adorned with standard traditional markings of red , yellow, and blue forehead, red and yellow circles near the bulging eyes, a crescent/moon-like motif under the right eye, and a multi-pointed star or cross symbol under the left eye. The prominent snout is painted with red and white diamond/cross patterns and visible teeth.

The unusual feature we mentioned earlier is a hand woven ring attached to the top of the head which serves as an anchor for the feather bundle atop the crown.

The body and upper arms are painted red, and the shoulders and lower arms are yellow. The kilt features traditional Hopi embroidery symbols, including geometric rain/cloud patterns and step motifs, draped with a painted sash falling along the side. The moccasins are painted turquoise and adorned with red turn-down tops, paired with yellow leg paint.

The katsina doll wears a painted turquoise nugget necklace.

It appears the the doll was carved from a single piece of cottonwood root (with separately attached horns/snout/eyes), demonstrating the upright, static posture typical of early-to-mid-20th-century traditional Katsina carvings prior to the highly action-oriented, free-form sculptures that emerged in the 1970s and 1980s.

"Ho'ote is an extremely popular kachina because of his well-liked songs. He appears as a group in the ordinary kachina dances and sometimes in the Niman. The symbols between his eyes and on his forehead are said to be those of flowers, and therefore his dance forecasts the flowers of spring." [Wright,1973:169]

What is a Katsina? 

Condition: The matte tempera coloration shows authentic age-appropriate surface patina, with natural paint loss along high-touch areas (such as the base collar, feet, and horns), revealing the underlying chalky white gesso/kaolin undercoat and raw cottonwood root texture. Both feet have been broken and glued. The feathers are worn.

Provenance: this Hopi Pueblo Katsina Doll Carving of Ho'ote is from the collection of a client from California

Reference: Kachinas: a Hopi artist's documentary by Barton Wright

TAGS: Katsina Dolls, Hopi Pueblo, Hopi Kachina Dolls