Katsina Image Design on a 2nd Mesa Coiled Plaque [SOLD]

The Hopi Indians have a long tradition of existing in the harsh, dry climate of Arizona where they rely on nature to provide for their livelihood.  They have a strong religious belief demonstrated with their annual Katsina dances and in less visual means.  They have preserved their traditional ways for a thousand years when one would expect that today’s modern culture would have supplanted tradition.

One of the ways the Hopi have preserved traditions is through making baskets.  Outsiders may view the baskets as curio items or decorative items, but to the Hopi women who make them, they have a very important function in their lives.

The plaque is an especially important item in preserving the women’s role in Hopi society.  Plaques are presented to newborn babies, young mothers, men as a wedding gift, as paybacks for gifts or favors, and in kiva ceremonies.  Those are their main purposes and making them to sell to tourists is a secondary purpose.  Plaques may be hung from the sash of a Katsina or from the hair of a Long Hair Katsina.  They are used in initiation ceremonies and as rewards in young men’s footraces.  Most importantly, they are used in the women’s basket dance. 

Second Mesa basketry is made in the same manner as a thousand years ago.  All materials are derived from nature and, in most instances, from the general area of the villages. Dyes used are from plant materials and not commercial sources.

It appears that the decorative imagery on this plaque is that of the Long Hair Katsina.  The face is the round portion outlined with a black row and the beard is defined by the black coils that flow from the face.

It is hoped that buyers will recognize the immense amount of work Hopi women put into making baskets and plaques and will purchase them and enjoy them with respect for what they mean to those who labor to make them.  They are a cultural icon with historic purpose and meaning and deserve the respect and appreciation by collectors

Condition: the plaque is in excellent condition.  It has a loop on the top from which it may be hung.

Recommended Reading: Hopi Basket Weaving – Artistry in Natural Fibers by Helga Teiwes.  This book is currently not available from Adobe Gallery

Provenance: from a gentleman in Colorado who purchased Native craft items when he lived in Albuquerque in the 1970s and 1980s.