Zuni Pueblo Mukikwe Okya, the Hopi Harvest Kachina Girl [SOLD]

This Zuni Katsina is a female and is referred to under several names, depending on the function and ceremony. She is known as Kokwele, the Grinding Maiden; Kokwele, The Kachina Girl; and Mukikwe Okya, the Hopi Harvest Kachina Girl.

This katsina doll represents the third of the above katsinas; that is, she is Mukikwe Okya, the Hopi Harvest Kachina Girl. Her name derives from a Zuni dance called Mukikwe, which has been acknowledged as having derived from the Hopi, therefore it is sometimes called the Hopi Harvest Dance and she the Hopi Harvest Kachina Girl.

The Mukikwe Dance is performed indoors at night in the winter. The female Mukikwe Okya is dressed entirely in Zuni fashion except for the hair style, which is worn in Hopi butterfly whorls.

This doll exemplifies the finest of Zuni katsina dolls. She is beautifully dressed in handmade clothing of the finest detail. Layer upon layer of handmade clothing adorns the doll. Her hair is up in the Hopi maiden style worn by this katsina.

The doll is in excellent condition except for the front of the right foot which is missing. All of the clothing is in wonderful condition, as is the hair and long beard.

Reference: Kachinas of the Zuni, by Barton Wright. Northland Press, Flagstaff. 1985. ISBN 0-87358-383-3. Note that this book is out-of-print and not currently available from Adobe Gallery.