Hopi Indian Kachina Dolls and Religion

Hopi Indian Kachina dolls are part of the religion of the Hopi people. To the Hopi, spirits (kachinas) abide in the Sierra Nevada mountains. They come down to bring rain and give gifts to children during winter solstice. The kachinas are everything from elemental deities to animals to deceased ancestors who accomplished notable feats.

The festivities begin with the Kachina ceremony and then Hopi Indian Kachina dolls are given out to the children along with candies. Afterward, the dolls are hung so that they may be studied and the children learn about the spirits. They are symbolic, educational, and also decorative.

History of Hopi Indian Kachina Dolls

The oldest known original Hopi Indian Kachina doll only dates back to the 18th century. It is very dissimilar to today’s Kachina dolls. It is a flat, vaguely human shaped object that is painted with markings resembling body paint in the Hopi tradition.

Types of Hopi Indian Kachina Dolls

Hopi Indian Kachina dolls are divided into four types based upon their time period and style. The four types of Hopi Indian Kachina dolls are Early Traditional, Late Traditional, Early Action and Late Action.

Early Traditional Hopi Indian Kachina dolls are primitive, made usually from painted and carved wood or roots. They are about 8 to 10 inches and nebulously shaped. Influence from European Americans interested in the dolls caused them to become more sophisticated during the Late Traditional period. Late Traditional Hopi Indian Kachina dolls are more realistic and the painting more detailed. They began to be produced for sale.

The Early Action Hopi Indian Kachina dolls are not as stiff as in the other two periods. Instead of being carved from a single piece of root or wood, they had moving arms and legs and multiple attached pieces. Late Action Hopi Indian Kachina dolls began being made in 1945 and continue today.

The Hopi Indian Kachina Doll Today

There are many collectors of Hopi Indian Kachina dolls, but they still serve their traditional purposes to the Hopi people as well. Today’s Hopi Indian Kachina dolls are in the Late Action style. They are realistic, have moveable parts, and bases because collectors did not always want to hang them. Commercial Hopi Indian Kachina doll makers today do not make dolls representing the original Hopi spirits, but instead generic dolls.