\"Mudhead\" AUTHENTIC 1980\'s HAND CARVED NAVAJO KACHINA DOLL, 15\" TALL, SIGNED

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\"Mudhead\" AUTHENTIC 1980\'s HAND CARVED NAVAJO KACHINA DOLL, 15\" TALL, SIGNED:
$129.50

style=\"text-decoration:none\" height=\"21px\" valign=\"middle\" face=\"arial\" & VINTAGEHAND CARVED NAVAJO KACHINA DOLL\"Mudhead\"(Koyemsi in Hopi)Signed \"LARGO\"
More than 400 years ago Spaniards first made their way intonorthernArizonawhere they found it to be the land of the Hopiwho livedonthree mesas east ofthe San Francisco Peaks justnorthof Flagstaff.
Because the need for water is so great, the Hopi enlist theirancestralspirits who are believed to live on the San FranciscoPeaks.Beginningevery January and continuing thru July the\"Katsina\" Spiritscomeandgo from the Hopi kivas to help thesepeople in their need forrainthat is so very vital to a successfulgrowing season.
Each kiva is home to a secret society which reveres a single\"Katsina\"(life bringer).Hopimen personify Kachinas to giveshape and visualunderstanding to the invisibleKachina spirits whohave sustained theHopi life for more than a thousand years.Uponreaching puberty,youngmen in the Pueblo are inducted into a kivawherethey learnthesecrets associated with that Kachina.Womenare notmembersofkivas,althoughtheyare taught the mythologyandreligious practices inamoregeneral way.
As we have learned, one of the methods used to convey thisknowledgewas through theKachinadoll. Hopi artists,usuallymen,carvedlikenesses of the Kachinas fromcottonwood root(associated with water).Then, the dolls would be given to girls atTheBean Dance and TheHome Dance to impress upon them theHopi ways.One of the most popular of the Kachinas is Koyemsi or in EnglishMudhead. He appearsat nearly all of these ceremonies accompanyingother Kachinas.Called \"Mudhead\"since his entire body and mask ispaintedwith mudsaid to be from the bottom of a sacredspring. Hisprimary function is to amuse and lighten the mood oftheaudienceduring pauses in the ceremonial Kachina dancing by drumming,doingsome dancing of hisown and acting asannouncers forevents.They oftengiveprizes or rewards for the races and guessing gamesthey organize.
There are very slight separations where the arms join the body.Visible in pics. They\'re fine, probably because of drying.
PLEASE, look CAREFULLY at the pics anddecide for yourself about CONDITION.
This Mudhead is 15\"tall, 9\"wide from the heel of his right handto the left edgeof his drum and 7\"front to back.VERY REALISTIC AND TRUE TO SCALE.
Thanks for seeing the listing.
ITEM IS SOLD AS SHOWN.Buyer will receive the very Kachina Doll pictured.Also, there are no returns on my items.
EVERY EFFORT WILL BE TAKEN TO PROTECT ITEM FOR SHIPPING.
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