Hopi Very Large Qöqöle Katsina Doll [SOLD]

Barton Wright states "He (Qöqöle) comes in a large group of many Qöqöle and their manas, on the last day of the ceremony (Soyal). Combining ritual with pleasure they burlesque other ceremonies while at the same time managing to 'open' the kivas.  Thus it is possible that at one moment the kachina may be very seriously marking the four sides of the kivas to allow the other kachinas to come and visit the village, and at the next moment be kneeling on the ground to shoot marbles. Frequently they imitate the women's dances of the preceding fall."  Kachinas a Hopi Artist's Documentary

At Third Mesa villages Qöqöle wear old cast off Anglo clothing.  At Second Mesa villages, they wear the buckskins that are traditional as shown in this carving. The katsina face could appear in any of the six colors of the six directions because this is a directional katsina.

This version by Jimmy Koots appears to have been carved from a single log with the exception of the arms which were added.  He wears a fur ruff around his neck, holds a rattle in his right hand and has a bundle of gifts for the audience in his left hand.  A stand has been fabricated that attaches to the legs to provide for secure display.

Condition: original condition

Provenance: from the estate of Tom Mittler, a former resident of Michigan and Santa Fe who purchased it from Marti Struever in Santa Fe in 1986.

Recommended Reading: Kachinas: A Hopi Artist’s Documentary by Barton Wright