Laguna Gambler Katsina Doll Hopi Pueblo Sotungtaka or Sootantaqa [SOLD]

This Katsina is called Sootantaqa, or Laguna Corn Katsina. His name comes from the salient forward motions he makes, "sootanta" (poking or prodding) [Secakuku, 1995:72]. He carries a planting stick-or sooya- in his left hand. Typically, there is a smaller ring attached with a cord to the planting stick, and during breaks between songs this katsina will playfully flip the ring up and try to catch it on the stick.

Sootantaqa wears turkey feathers on his head and a painted mask with a beak. A bare chest is painted with white lines and the right wrist and both calves are adorned with colorful yarns. In his arms, Sootantaqa carries a bough of evergreen. A black kilt decorated with red and green is offset by a colorful ceremonial sash which hangs down in the back. Finally, upon his feet Sootantaqa wears white moccasins with fur around the Achilles.

There are two spellings for this katsina-Sootantaqa (Alph Secakuku) and Sotungtaka (Barton Wright). We use both to satisfy online searches. The Sotungtaka Katsina has regularly been called a Laguna Gambler. It is not known where that name originated. It is a Hopi Katsina and its Hopi name is Sotungtaka. Barton Wright, in his Complete Guide to Collecting Kachina Dolls, calls the Sotungtaka, "Laguna Corn Kachina'' so there is some confusion regarding the proper translation.

Harold Colton, in his Hopi Kachina Dolls book, does not list Sotungtaka in his book on Hopi katsinas. Alph Secakuku lists him as Sootantaqa. Barton Wright states "This Kachina has appeared rather recently on the Hopi mesas, probably within the last twenty years." There are two main varieties that appear with each other. One is clothed and acts as the side dancer for the other who appears bare chested. Some Hopi say that he comes from Santo Domingo and others that he is from Laguna. He dances gracefully gesturing with the objects in his hands. This form is sometimes called the Laguna Gambler.

What is a Kachina?

Condition: very good condition with repairs to the left foot. The feathers are no longer in their original condition.

Provenance: from the collection of a gentleman from California

References:

 -Wright, Barton.,  Hopi Kachinas: The Complete Guide to Collecting Kachina Dolls 

- Alph H. Secakuku, Following the Sun and Moon: Hopi Kachina Tradition