NAVAJO KACHINAS

Though the Hopi Kachina dolls hold tremendous religious and cultural significance, the Navajo versions do not. The Navajo do not hold any major religious or cultural beliefs around the Kachina dolls, however, they bring to their craft an unique eye and artistic style that is not possible in other Native American Kachinas. Though the Navajo Kachina dolls borrow much of their posture and basic symbolism from the Hopi Kachinas, the Navajo are far more free to design and decorate their dolls with a rich flourish that would ultimately spoil the religious significance of their pieces.

Navajo Kachina dolls have a beauty all their own. The concept and posturing still echoes that of the Hopi Kachinas, but the differences between the two styles are striking. Some of the fancy Navajo Kachinas that we have available here at Kachina House are adorned with feathers and draped with beadwork and come in a variety of colors.

Ultimately the purpose of the Navajo Kachina dolls is a creative source of income for the Navajo people. They borrow from many different cultures to create these one of a kind sculptures that are priced significantly below the price of the usual Hopi hand-carved Kachina dolls. These dolls can be offered at such low prices for several reasons. First, the wood used for the Navajo Kachina dolls is not from the root of a cottonwood tree. The woods they use are strong and more abundant. Secondly, most of the parts of the Navajo Kachina dolls are machine worked and then assembled by hand. This allows them to be produced in higher numbers than the individually detailed Hopi Kachinas. Once assembled, the Navajo Kachinas are painted and decorated by hand and then distributed to retailers such as Kachina House for sale to the public.

Do not assume that the more modern methods of the Navajo Kachinas makes them any less valuable or collectible, however. On the contrary, these dolls, especially the fancier versions that are adorned with bright and festive colored feathers and beads, are quite beautiful in their own right, and the artistry is still as valued, though focused more on the accessories than the carving itself.

Many collectors find that the Navajo Kachinas are just as fascinating as the Hopi versions, and the more economical practices allows even just about anyone to begin collecting these find pieces of Native American Indian artwork.