Native American Hopi Carved Mudhead Kachina Doll with Sea Serpent

Description

Native American Hopi Carved Mudhead Kachina Doll with Sea Serpent by Bradford Kaye

The Mudhead (Koyemsi) leads the racers into the village and challenges villagers in contests to prove their strength. During the rests in a dance Mudheads may engage in games with the boys and girls in the audience. At other times, only a single Mudhead may appear as a drummer for a group. Should a dancer not have the proper mask or be late in arriving, he can easily become a Mudhead by donning that mask. These Katsinam appear in almost every Hopi dance. This particular Mudhead is wrestling with a sea serpent. The plumed water serpent is a guardian of the water. The serpent (Avanyu or Kolowisi)and the Mudhead are both beings that exist in Hopi as well as Zuni culture.