Hopi Soyoko Katsina Doll by Kevin Pochoema

This amazing carving of the Hopi Soyoko Katsina is the work of master carver Kevin Pochoema who completed it in 1994. The body of the doll is a beautiful bronze. Around his torso is tied a leather wrap with hues of gold. The loin cloth is a traditional Hopi white sash with embroidered end panels. In one hand, he carries a yucca whip, and in the other he has a bloody sword. He's wearing jewelry on both hands and wrists. His necklace has swung up toward his right shoulder indicating he is very actively jumping up and down. The turtle shell rattle on his left hand contains rocks to make frightening noises as he jumps. The hair on his head is swinging in all directions. The feathers attached to the back of his head are rigid. The moccasin fringes are swaying. The ogre is obviously engaged in frightening children.

"Early in the Bean Dance time (Powamu) the young children of the villages can expect a visit from the terrifying figure of Soyok Wuhti and a couple of her ugly helpers. These individuals go from house to house where there are small children and leave a token and a warning with each child. Every girl is given a small amount of sweet corn and told to grind lots of cornmeal. The boys are presented with yucca snares and told to catch mice because the Soyoko are coming again in four days, and when they appear they will want meat and food or they will take the youngsters instead. When the Ogres do appear they present themselves in horrid array in front of a house and demand food and meat. It is held out to them on the end of a stick from behind a partially closed door. It will be instantly rejected as too little or the wrong kind, and the child is demanded. With chilling detail the falsetto voice of the Soyoko then recounts faithfully the child's misdeeds and demands to be given the youngster. At this point some relative usually speaks up for the child saying that he or she has really learned not to do these things. But the Ogre is adamant and the child may have to demonstrate that he minds his parents and doesn't spill the water or whatever. This is done for the edification of the Ogres and the audience which stays well back from these ugly creatures. Finally the child will be ransomed with quantities of food which are dumped in the burden baskets on the backs of the Heheya, We-u-u, or the Toson Koyemsi. They trot off to the officiating kiva with their loads and then return for still more." [Wright 1973:73]

What is a Katsina? 

Condition: original condition

Provenance: this Hopi Soyoko Katsina Doll by Kevin Pochoema is from the estate of an Adobe Gallery client who purchased it in 1994.

Reference: Wright, Barton. Kachinas a Hopi Artist's Documentary, 1973. Northland Press.

TAGS: Hopi Pueblo,  Kachina - Katsina Doll,