Hopi Katsinas
Gallery 4
Brokeshoulder Family

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The brokeshoulder family, members of the Tobacco Clan from Hotevilla Village on Third Mesa.   From left to right: Randy, Nick (the dad) and Brent.

A beautiful Anakchina with a very nice detail, of the sort seen on the actual katsina dancer: A Hahai'i wuuti tied to the hair in back.   By Nick, it measures 18 inches high to the tip of the feathers and is $300.

It sold the day after it came in, but I wanted to show folks a spectacular example of Nick's work: A Katsinmana --also called a Hemis Mana in this context-- as she appears during the Niman or Home Dance with the Hemis katsinas.   It garnered a 2nd place ribbon at the Gallup Intertribal Ceremonial.   (Both Brent and Randy won prizes for their work at the Santa Fe Indian Market the following week.) (SOLD)

A Moosa or Cat katsina 12.5 inches high, by Brent.   It is also nicknamed a Kwivi katsina (from the Hopi word for 'proud' and applied to any katsina that is dressed extra fancy). $250.

A Patki or Waterbird katsina by Brent.   It's 21 inches high to the tip of the feathers.     $525.

A Stone Eater by Randy, 12 inches high, priced at $250.   (SOLD) Owangaroro or Stone-Eater is one of the so-called “Mad” katsinas, and is regarded as dangerous and must be lead around at rope’s length by a Mudhead.   It is said that if rocks are thrown at him he will catch and eat the rocks.   At Second Mesa he sometime acts as a guard katsina.

A Taawa or Sun katsina by Nick, 13 inches high.   $225.

This variation of the Avatshoya or Spotted Corn katsina by Nick is 11 inches high.   This particular katsina is one of several corn katsinas.   The Hopi grow many colors of corn: red, blue, yellow and white.   Occasionally some of the corn varieties cross, resulting in what the Hopi call Spotted Corn.   The Corn katsinas represent the spirit of the corn and help ensure the continued cycle of life.   $275.   (SOLD)

There are several versions of the Lizard katsina.   This particular version was first introduced by Nick's grandfather at the village of Orayvi almost a century ago.   It represents a type of Collared Lizard (Crotophytus) found at Hopi.   10 inches high.   $300.