Old Style Hopi Carved Hillili Traditional Guard Katsina Doll

Description

Old Style Hopi Carved Hillili Traditional Guard Katsina Doll by the Katsinam

The Hillili Katsina is believed to have made its way from Acoma or Laguna Pueblo. By the time he reached the Hopi on First Mesa prior to the turn of the century, his name had changed from Heleleka to Hillili. His name is attributed to the shrill call that he makes. He functions as a guard or Whipper Katsina and is greatly admired for his rapid dance movements. He appears in the Powamuya and in the Night Dances. This particular Katsina was handed out at a dance. It comes from a private collector who got most of her pieces in the 1970s. The Katsinam carve these pieces and hand them out at the dances. This is a great example of the full figure carvings that are created for the young girls on Hopi. These are identifiable because they have no bases and instead hang on the walls of Hopi homes.