Hopi First Mesa Salako Katsina Doll [SOLD]

The Zuni Pueblo Shalako katsinas are recognized as the very tall figures one sees annually at the pueblo during the Shalako ceremony. Likewise, the Hopi Salako katsinas are equally as tall as their Zuni counterpoints. Unlike these other well-known Shalako and Salako katsinas, the Hopi First Mesa Salako katsina is as illustrated here. The taller version is no longer featured at First Mesa.

The doll is a combination of painted wood, fabric, yarn, and fur, as was typical of katsina dolls of the 1960s. The overall carving is from cottonwood root, and the body and mask are mostly painted. Added to the painted doll are a traditional Hopi embroidered sash hanging off the right of the skirt which is painted on fabric; black painted fabric draped over the shoulders; and rabbit fur tail hanging on the back of the skirt. The shirt is painted in the style of a velvet shirt with colorful ribbons. On the helmet-style headpiece are frogs and tadpoles.

Comments from Hopi men who were interviewed in the early 1990s in preparation for the future book Kachinas Spirit Beings of the Hopi are the following:

"This is one of the First Mesa Hopi Shalako Kachinas. He is still danced contemporarily at First Mesa, and in one sense he replaces the tall Hopi Shalako, who are no longer being danced at First Mesa because no successors had been appointed for them."

Another informant who was interviewed stated: "The Salako appears only at First Mesa, and he usually is a line dancer appearing at the end of a line, who at one time accompanied the Shalako Kachinas. This Kachina is copied from the Zunis, and he does appear. It is believed by one author that this is the costume worn under the tall shalako costume. The description contained in Horst Antes' book refers to this figure as an Impersonator of the Shalako."

An interviewer from Kykotsmovi Village on Third Mesa shared the following information: The informant states that it appears at Second and Third Mesas without a shirt. He appeared at Hotevilla in March, 1990. The informant thinks he came from Zuni where he "appears" with a human face and no buckskin. He accompanies the Shalako by being inside of Shalako.

At Shungopavi Village at Second Mesa, the informant stated: "He does appear at Shungopavi."

Our last informant from Old Oraibi on Third Mesa stated "At Third Mesa he is called Pookoongyava. Raymond Naha has painted this Kachina with a shirt at First and Second Mesas and without a velvet shirt at Third Mesa."

We are indebted to these informants in the various villages for sharing their thoughts and information regarding this rare katsina.

What is a Katsina?

Condition: very good condition with some paint abrasions.

Provenance: this Hopi First Mesa Salako Katsina Doll is from the collection of a client from California

Reference: Kachinas-Spirit Beings of the Hopi, Avanyu Publishing

TAGS: Kachina – Katsina Doll, Hopi Pueblo, Zuni Pueblo