Volume 7: Hopi Katsina
1,600 Artist Biographies
 

Hopi Katsina profiles over 1,600 Hopi carvers from 1840 to the present. Although Katsina dolls began to be signed in the 1930s, earlier artisans were identified through family trees, historical documents, and oral histories.

 

This book provides easy access to extensive research. Hopi Katsina dolls are small wooden figures carved from cottonwood roots and painted with natural pigments. The term Katsina refers to over 300 spiritual beings, society of singers and dancers, and the dolls, also called Tihu. They educate children about ancestral religious traditions over a thousand years old.

 

Most Hopi carvers live around three mesas in northern Arizona, close to ancient stone villages. Hopi spirituality is strong, with new songs inspired by dreams. Ceremonies continue, with Katsina dancers gathering at specific times, and Katsina Societies remain active.