Hopi Chakwaina Katsina Doll [SOLD]

This is an exceptionally well-carved and painted Katsina Doll. The detail in the skirt and the bandoleer, along with the exquisite painting of the entire piece, puts it above most carvings of this time period.  It is probably pre-1950s.

Chakwaina appears most often in January during the Kiva Dances, dancing in a line with lively gestures, stooping and turning and singing a spirited tune. It has been said that Chakwaina represents Estevan the Moor, who led Fray Marcos de Niza in search of Cibola and was killed at Zuni. Barton Wright, the noted Katsina expert, said this is not likely because Chakwaina originally came from the Rio Grande pueblos, migrated to Zuni, then to Hopi from Zuni.

Condition:  very good condition

Provenance: from a collector of Hopi Katsina dolls from California

Recommended Reading:  Kachinas: A Hopi Artist's Documentary by Barton Wright.