Hopi Pueblo All Wood Hano Mana Sculptural Katsina Doll by Lauren Honyouti [SOLD]

This all-wood carving by artist Lauren Honyouti of the Hopi Pueblo Hano Mana Katsina is in the sculptural form of carving rather than in the full-body form of traditional carved Kachina dolls.  This style developed in the early 1970s when carvers began to experiment with new techniques, new styles, and new pigments.  The face is always presented in the tradition of the katsina being represented, but the remainder of the figure is a more free-form carving style.  The artist carved the head to represent the Hano Mana Katsina with her turquoise face with colorful bars on her cheeks, black hair hanging along the sides and back and bangs in front.  A single feather sits on her head.  From the neck down, it is obvious that a more modern approach has been taken.  The four strands of the turquoise necklace are in excess of a single strand usually used.  Her robe or manta is long and flowing, with embroidery around the shoulders and the hem.  Underneath the manta she is wearing a traditional black wool dress cinched at the waist with a woven red belt.  A bowl of corn meal rests on the pedestal in a traditional Diné wedding basket.  Cloud representations adorn the pedestal.

I believe that Lauren is the only one of the Honyouti brothers and their father who chose to experiment with the sculptural style of presentation.  Ronald and Bryan, as well as their dad, Clyde, stayed with carving traditional full-body katsinas.  This is an exceptional example of this style carving.

The Hano Mana is a katsina of the Hano Village of First Mesa at Hopi, the village where the Tano Indians of New Mexico were welcomed in the 1700s by the Hopi and were given a village on top of First Mesa which became known as the village of the Hopi-Tewa Indians.  Although they have been there a few hundred years, they still speak the Tewa language of their ancestors and honor their own katsinas.

Condition: this Hopi Pueblo All Wood Hano Mana Sculptural Katsina Doll by Lauren Honyouti is in original condition

Provenance: from the collection of a resident of Seattle, Washington

Reference:  Wright, Barton. Kachinas a Hopi Artist’s Documentary, 1973

Relative Links:  Hopi Pueblo, Lauren Honyouti, Ronald Honyouti, katsina dolls, Brian Honyouti