What is a kachina dance?
“Kachina” refers both to ceremonial dances in which these impersonators appear and to carved and painted wooden dolls with masked symbolism. The Zuni word “kok’ko” (ko ‘ko) refers to spirits and supernatural beings which correspond generally and specifically to kachina of the Hopi.
What is the Hopi Snake dance?
The Snake Dance is the grand finale of ceremonies to pray for rain, held by individual Hopi tribes in Arizona every two years. Hopis believe their ancestors originated in an underworld, and that their gods and the spirits of ancestors live there.
What is India’s snake dance?
In no other part of the world will you witness a religious ceremony during which the participants dance with live rattlesnakes held in their mouths. Both diamondbacks and sidewinders are used as part of the ceremony, as well as other snakes that have been captured.
What is a Mudhead kachina?
The Mudhead is one of the most well known Kachinas and can take the place of any other Kachina during a ceremony. He is reddish-brown and is said to have been painted with mud from the bottom of a sacred spring. Mudheads play many different roles; dancers, drummers, announcers, singers and clowns.
What do kachinas symbolize?
What Do Kachina Dolls Symbolize? The word “kachina” comes from the Hopi word “kachi,” which means “spirit.” Kachina dolls symbolize Ketsinam, or spirits of nature. Tribes of the Southwest believed that aspects of nature could be personified by Ketsinam. These include rain, crops, animals, ancestors, and more.
Are kachinas Hopi or Navajo?
Kachina or Katsina spirits are the basis of the Hopi religion that ties them to the land. In their ceremonial calendar there are six months that these spirits come and concentrate, February through July, and the other six months are for the people to carry out their domestic activities.
Do the Hopi still do the snake dance?
In today’s world, however, most of the Hopi men have jobs and cannot take 16 days away from their work. Many villages now observe the Snake Dance only in alternate years, and it is closed to the public.
What dances did the Hopi tribe do?
Hopi culture most famous ceremonies is the snake-antelope dance of the Hopi in Arizona, a rite in which snakes are released in the four directions to seek rain. It includes swaying dancing to rattles and guttural chant, circling of the plaza with snakes, and ceremonial sprinkling of corn meal on the principal…
What is a Shalako kachina?
The Zuni Shalako Kachina Ceremony celebrates the end of the old year and the beginning of the New Year. This ceremony asks for blessings and well being for the participants.
How do you identify kachinas?
Identifying Kachina Dolls
- Overall whitewash.
- Detailed painting of decorations and facial features.
- Clothing that is painted on or created from fabric.
- A ruff around the neck.
- Jewelry that is painted or made of metal and other materials.
- Handheld objects or props, such as rattles, knives, and tools.
Are kachina dolls Navajo or Hopi?
Kachina or Katsina spirits are the basis of the Hopi religion that ties them to the land.
What is the purpose of the Hopi Butterfly Dance?
The Butterfly Dance is a Hopi ceremony petitioning for rain, and health for all living things, thanking the beautiful butterfly for pollinating plant life.
What does the name Shalako mean?
Definition of Shalako 1 or Shalako dancer : one of the dancers impersonating a Zuñi mythical being of extraordinary stature. 2 : a Zuñi ceremony in which Shalakos play a central role and which celebrates the advent or departure of the kachinas.
What is Shalako Zuni?
Shalako is a series of dances and ceremonies conducted by the Native American Zuni people for the Zuni people at the winter solstice, typically following the harvest. The Shalako ceremony and feast has been closed to non-native peoples since 1990.
How many kachinas are there?
There are more than 250 different Kachinas, each with its own separate attributes, representing everything from animals to abstract concepts. The Hopi were the original Kachina Doll carvers, using a single piece of cottonwood root.
What is kachinas worth?
How Much Is a Kachina Doll Worth? According to Kachinadolls.com, an ancient Kachina doll sold for $250,000. The best contemporary fine art examples can sell for as much as $50,000. However, most Kachina dolls are worth $100 or less.
Are kachinas Navajo?
The Kachina has no spiritual significance in Navajo culture; it is a craft learned as a way for some Navajo people to earn a living. Navajo craftspeople have used concepts from many cultures over the years.
What music did the Hopi Tribe listen to?
The music of the Hopi, as expressed through the Butterfly Dance, is basically vocal, group singing being the norm rather than individual exhibitionism. Instruments are confined primarily to bells, rattles, and drums.