Old Style Hopi Carved Laguna Corn Traditional Plant Katsina Doll

Description

Old Style Hopi Carved Laguna Corn Traditional Plant Katsina Doll by Leander Tenakhongva

Corn Katsinam (Qaokatsina) are the most common of the plant personators. The Corn Katsinam appear during winter Kiva dances and springtime plaza dances. Several types of Corn Katsinam represent the different varieties of corn given as presents during performances. These Katsinam come in the four colors of corn (the four directional colors--red, yellow, blue and white). Sometimes they have the ears of corn painted on their masks; other times they have spots painted on their bodies that represent kernels of corn. This style has the butterfly on its mask. The butterfly is a pollinator and on this mask celebrates a successful harvest.