Hopi Second Mesa Plaque with Salakomana Katsina Image [SOLD]

The Hopi Salako Katsinas—male and female—appear during the Salako Ceremony, a ceremony that is held very infrequently, maybe every decade or so.  The katsinas are brought into position by Eototo and Hahai-i-Wuhti, and specific locations are marked as circles of cornmeal by Eototo. The male and female Salako Katsinas rest in these circles bowing and dipping until beckoned to another set of circles by Hahai-i-Wuhti.  They advance one at a time to their new positions.

Sotuknongu and the Tukwinong with their ceremonial gourds of water and trays of varicolored cornmeal flank the pair.  The basic intent is probably that of bringing the cloud supernatural beings to the Hopi mesas and causing them to remain in the general vicinity of the villages and fields of the tribal lands.  -Wright 1973

Example image of how a Hopi coiled basket is made from grasses and yucca. →

The design on this plaque appears to be that of the Salakomana Katsina—the female katsina.  The central part of the plaque is the face of the katsina and the varicolored coils above the face represent the elaborate tableta the katsina wears.  The black and rust rows of coils near the face represent earrings, the multi-colored chin is the rainbow chin of the katsina, and the black and white squares represent the feathered front of the katsina.

This plaque still has attached the Hopi Arts & Crafts tag with the weaver’s name. →

Condition: this Hopi Second Mesa Plaque with Salakomana Katsina Image is in original condition

Provenance: from a client from Tulsa, Oklahoma

Reference: Kachinas a Hopi Artist’s Documentary by Barton Wright with original paintings by Cliff Bahnimptewa