Zuni Pueblo Kianakwe Thlian Katsina Doll by Duane Dishta [SOLD]

This Zuni Pueblo Kianakwe Thlian Katsina Doll was made by talented painter and carver Duane Dishta. Most of his early dolls are recognizable and very collectible for their intricate detail and accuracy of the spirit beings of the Pueblo religion.

One of the oldest of Zuni Pueblo legends describes how the Zuni people overtook and conquered their enemy, the Kainakwe, a group of Indians far to the South. In observance of this event, the Zuni perform a one-day dance called the Kianakwe Ceremony that follows an eight-day retreat. It is unique in that it is performed only by the Corn Clan and is a dance involving the distribution of large amounts of food and goods.

The ceremony begins ten days prior to the final-day dance when the impersonators go into the kiva to paint and prepare the masks. The public performance begins when they enter the plaza early in the morning and begin the first of four dances that continue throughout the day and end just at dusk, at which time they fling the quantities of food and goods to the populace. The Kianakwe then exit to the west.

The above information was excerpted from the out-of-print book Kachinas of the Zuni by Barton Wright with original paintings provided by Duane Dishta. A much more detailed explanation of this Zuni Katsina may be found in the book. This Katsina doll is not signed, but was shown to Dishta who identified it as one he made in the late 1960s.

Condition: Structurally, the Zuni Pueblo Kianakwe Thlian Katsina Doll by Duane Dishta is in excellent condition, with the exception that the fingertips of the right hand are broken off but generally concealed since the bow is in that hand.  The conical corn husks hanging on either side of the mask have disintegrated and partially broken off. Overall, however, the condition is very good and these minor discrepancies are not that noticeable.

Provenance: from the collection of a family from Oregon to whom we sold this doll in 2010 and now have it back to sell again.

Relative Links: Zuni Pueblo, Kachina-Katsina Dolls, Duane Dishta