Hopi Kokopelli Katsina Doll, circa 1960s [SOLD]

This Kokopelli Katsina was created during the 1960s by an unknown Hopi Pueblo carver. Kokopelli is a fertility deity who has been depicted in countless artworks dating back centuries. More recently, a version of Kokopelli has become a popular symbol of the Southwest, appearing frequently on commercial items such as t-shirts, keychains, mugs, and plastic lawn ornaments. This version of Kokopelli is based on a flute player symbol, which has appeared in petroglyphs and on prehistoric pottery dating back thousands of years. Some say that this flute player image is actually unrelated to the Kokopelli Katsina, and that the conflation of these two figures is a misunderstanding perpetuated by the commodification of Native symbology. The flute player symbol appears in other cultures' artworks as well, which further complicates any potential explanation of its origins. The Hopi Kokopelli Katsina does indeed play the flute, but only on occasion; in actuality, his defining physical characteristic is his prominent phallus.

That feature appears in this true, Hopi-made depiction of Kokopelli. The katsina is dressed in Euro-American clothing, and wearing moccasins. In his right hand, he holds his penis, and in his left hand he carries a stick. His mask features a phallic nose, an identifying mark of this katsina. On his head is a small group of feathers and several black-and-white twisted yarn ropes draped over his mask. This is an excellent example of the Hopi Kokopelli Katsina.

To quote Barton Wright, "Undoubtedly Kokopelli, the Hump-backed Flute Player, has caught the imagination of more people than any other Hopi kachina except perhaps the Hemis Kachina. Some of that interest is because he is so blatantly phallic in nature, but beyond this he appears in every nook and cranny of the Southwest. His image is found in all of the pueblos and among the southern Indians as well. He dances happily around a Hohokam pot and chases mountain sheep through the canyons of the San Juan. There is always speculation about what inspired this particular personation. Ties with Mexico and even South America have been suggested for he appears in all of these places. Among the Hopis he is a Flute Player only when he borrows a flute to dance. Usually, he appears in the Mixed Kachina Dances or sometimes in a Night Dance. Despite these relatively minor appearances, he is thought of as a seducer of girls, a bringer of babies, a tutelary of hunting, and an excellent subject for the carving of ... kachina dolls." [Wright, 1973:109]

What is a Kachina?

Condition: good condition with no serious abrasions or damage

Provenance: this Hopi Kokopelli Katsina Doll, circa 1960s is from a private collection

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

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

TAGS: Katsina Dolls, Hopi Pueblo, Hopi Kachina Dolls