Old Style Hopi Carved Oldman Freeze Traditional Disciplinarian Katsina Doll by Ryon Polequaptewa
This is a relative to the Ogre family. Patusung Wutaka is a Katsina who represents the spirit of one who breathes cold and has the ability to freeze water. Snow is a sacred element to the Hopi people for it blankets the land in white (a sign of purity) and brings moisture to the land for the Spring planting season. Ryon was asked by the Heard Museum to work on a show for 100 Years of Carvers. As he studied the older dolls, he became fascinated with the work of Wilson Tawaquaptewa (1871-1960). Ryon has recreated dolls from this old collection and, in this case, created a new one of his own in the same style. Click on numbered boxes below image for additional views.
