What are Kachinas?

Kachinas are holy spirits that live upon the San Francisco Peaks in Arizona and other sacred mountains in the Southwest. During the period beginning with the Winter Solstice and extending to about mid-July, masked dancers initiated into the various clans of the Hopi Pueblos impersonate these spirits.

Men portray both the male and female spirits and when an initiate wears the mask of his Kachina, he becomes that spirit personified. During the open dances, the Kachinas dance in the plaza or from kiva to kiva distributing the Kachina dolls, toy bows, rattles, fruit and sweets to the children between dances.

Kachina dolls have long been a tradition among the Hopi tribes. They also have spiritual significance for the Navajo and are commonly crafted by Navajo artists.

Are Kachinas Gods?

Kachinas can be spirits of deities, animals, and even deceased members of the Pueblo known for special kindness or prowess.

One such Kachina, He-e-wuhti, wears the black face of a warrior. She is powerful and terrible to behold. She holds a bow and her hair is tied up on one side onto the wooden form used to create the “Whorl” hair design of a Hopi maiden. Her hair is down and flowing on the other side, the aspect in which she was found as her mother was preparing her hair when an enemy attacked the Pueblo.

The men were tending their fields and the young maiden jumped up to take her father’s bow and lead the women in a valiant defense of the Pueblo until the men could join the battle and defeat the enemy.

This Kachina is so powerful that Whipper Kachinas stay the spectators from her path to keep them from being harmed by her spirit.

Kachina Impersonators

The Kachina impersonators give the spirits a form that can interact with the human and can be seen as intermediaries between the Hopi Pueblo and the spirits themselves.

While the Kachinas are present, they are constantly offered prayers by spectators who sprinkle the dancers with corn pollen as they pass or are encountered. In this way the blessings between the Kachinas and the people can be exchanged before the Kachinas return to their mountain homes in the summer.

Plaza dances were at one time open to all, but because of the ignorant and sometimes reprehensible behavior of increasingly large groups of tourists, all dances are now closed to the public.

Hopi Kachinas

Hopi Kachina or Katsinam (personations) of spiritual beings, are depicted as beautiful carved dolls. Each doll is painstakingly painted according to cultural and spiritual traditions of the Hopi people. The wood used in Hopi Kachina dolls is Paako, or cottonwood.

The Hopi use the term katsina to refer to the spiritual beings and the dolls.

Navajo Kachinas

Both the Navajo and Hopi have created thousands of dolls throughout the centuries, many of which were used in trade and selling. Navajo Kachina dolls, similar to the Hopi’s, represent the culture of the Navajo people. Kachina dolls are the perfect gift to celebrate a Navajo wedding, a graduation, or a birthday.

Navajo kachinas and kachina dolls are arrayed with stones, beads, paint, feathers, and more. Continue the tradition of Navajo Kachinas by investing in one or several Kachina dolls.

Shop Kachina Dolls Online

When it comes to symbolic, meaningful Kachina doll collecting, The Cameron Trading Post can help! Kachina dolls, to this day, are still given as gifts to family members. Not only do they look beautiful, they can help teach children about the importance of their heritage. Our Kachinas are crafted with wood, and decorated with carvings, beads, and paint and will look stunning on your bookshelf.

Shop all Kachina dolls online today! Our Kachina dolls include a Hopi hand carved eagle dancer doll, Angak’chin Mana, Chasing Star, and more.