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PUEBLO INDIAN KACHINA DOLLS:
ROSENBERG LIBRARY’S AUGUST TREASURE OF THE
MONTH
For its August Treasure of the Month, the Rosenberg Library
exhibited a selection of early 20th century Pueblo
Indian kachina dolls from the museum collection.
Kachina dolls represent the kachina
spirits, or gods, that the Pueblo Indians believe influence
their daily lives.
In the
Pueblo
religion, there are more than 300 different kachina deities, all
with unique characteristics.
Kachinas can be identified by their
shape, color, and ornamentation.
The word “kachina” (sometimes spelled “katsina”) actually
has three different meanings.
The first
refers to the supernatural entities that the
Pueblo
people believe to have influence over nature.
The second meaning refers to men
from the tribe who wear costumes to represent these spirits at
ceremonial events and dances.
The third
references the masked dolls which are made for
Pueblo
children.
Kachina dolls were given to children as a way to
teach them about the
Pueblo
system of beliefs and values.
Traditionally, the carving of
kachina dolls was the work of male artisans.
Authentic dolls are made of
cottonwood root, which is easy to carve but also very durable.
It was not
until the late 19th century that Indian tribes began
to sell kachina dolls at trading posts.
The dolls became popular
collectibles for tourists, and even today, they are highly
prized in the Native American crafts market.
Photo Captions:
1.
Large kachina doll with an
elaborate headdress of feathers and buffalo horns
(gift of William and Viola Pabst)
2.
Assortment of various kachina dolls
(gift of William and Viola Pabst)
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