As with many societies, the Hopi Indians use dolls, known as “Hopi Kachina Dolls” to represent those that they look up to. These dolls are known to many as Hopi Kachina Doll. These dolls are not limited in their symbolism, but they serve the purpose of honoring various people, deities,and spirits that the tribe looks up to.
The History of The Hopi Kachina Doll
The Hopi Native American Tribe was known to inhabit a small portion of Arizona. Because of this, older Hopi Kachina dolls are concentrated within a small area. The oldest Hopi Kachina dolls are from the 1700s but range into the late 1800s. Because of their history, authentic Hopi Kachina Dolls can be extremely expensive.
The purpose of the Hopi Kachina doll is to honor spirits of honorable members of the tribe, spirits and animals. Even though most people think that the features of these dolls are coincidental, each feature actually has a meaning and a purpose.
How the Hopi Kachina Doll Came to Be
The story of the Hopi Kachina Doll is a heroic, amazing story. During a time of drought and starvation, the people began to die. When the Kachina saw the people of the Hopi tribe suffering, they showed themselves in human form to help the Hopi people. They used their powers of prayer in the form of song an dance to help grow food, bring the rain and heal the sick. The tribe honored them by creating the Hopi Kachina doll.
Hopi Kachina Dolls and Their Features
Each feature on a Hopi Kachina Doll has a meaning and a purpose that relates in some way to the Hopi Religion. Because of this, it is easy to determine the purpose of each and every authentic Hopi Kachina Doll.
In some cases, the symbols on the Hopi Kachina Doll means just what it appears to be. For instance, vegetables, stars, and animal tracks are meant to represent exactly that. They honor the spirit inside each and every animal, the stars, and the food that the Hopi lived on. Vertical lines under the the eyes of the Hopi Kachina doll represent the footprints of a warrior. An upside down “V” represents Kachina officials. Phallic symbols represent fertility and when seen by the adult subconscious mind registers as the physical form of the male or female genitalia.
Colors on the Hopi Kachina doll also represent certain things. All of the colors together represent heaven. Yellow represents north, or northwest. Blue-green represents west, or southwest. Red represents south, or southeast. White represents east, or northeast. Black represents the underworld and below.