Hopi Masha’n - Flower Katsina Doll [SOLD]

In Hopi Journal, Alexander Stephen provided an excellent accounting of spring and early summer Katsina dances that occurred in 1891 in which this katsina participated.  Such dances are pleas for rain at the season of planting.  There is a four-day ritual abstinence, mask preparation and prayer-stick making in the kiva before the dance commences.  Dance practice and song rehearsal occur during these four days. 

Stephen indicated that there were two Masha’n in the group of 24 katsinam in the dance.  His description of the katsina: “The mask of the Masha’n kachina is surrounded at the base with a dense wreath of spruce.  Many necklaces. Yellow on left shoulder; blue-green on right; two lines of these opposing colours lead down from each ‘cloud’ to waist, both in front and back; body and upper arms, red.  White kilt, first girded with the big belt and over that a woolen belt, the ends of both hanging down on the right side.  Gray foxskin head thrust in over upper edge of kilt.  White pigment, around waist and on thighs to within a short space above knee, there a band of red, then a surrounding band of yellow, then another of blue, the knees, red; right leg from knee to ankle blue-green, the left leg from knee to ankle, yellow. . .”

Stephen described their participation: “At certain measures Masha’nta and maid (Hanomana) lift the left hand with yellow corn to the forehead, at the same time turning to the left as if looking in the distance, then dropping the left hand to the forehead, at the same time turning to the right to the former position.  During this turn they do not lift the feet from the ground, but with springy motion of knees and hips keep time to the song measure.  The movement completed, which only occupies a couple of minutes, they resume the same step as the others, springy movement on left foot, twice, at same time lifting the right foot as high as the knee, then dropping it, they make two springy movements with the right foot, at the same time lifting the left foot about as high as the knee.”

Such descriptive information on katsina dances of the 19^th century are of immense value today as note-taking, sketches, photographs and recordings are no longer permitted during dances.  Katsinas such as Masha’n, which are old and may not appear anymore, will be lost to history if not for such documentation.   J. J. Mora photographed him at a mixed dance at Tewa c. 1906.  It is not known if this katsina has appeared since that time.

The carver of this doll did an excellent job of presenting the colors and arrangements in much the same as described by Stephens over a hundred years ago.  This is a good example of how such traditions have changed little in the last century and before.  Tradition at Hopi is very strong and has shown little influence with the influx of outsiders.

August 6, 2017 Update:  the carver of this Katsina Doll has been identified as Victor Charlie by a client who is familiar with the carver.

Condition: very good condition with repair only to the left arm at the elbow.

Provenance: sold by Adobe Gallery to a client in 1983 and now for sale again from that client.

Reference: Hopi Journal of Alexander M. Stephen, edited by Elsie Clews Parsons, Columbia University Press, 1936