Native American Hopi Carved Ogre Katsina Doll--Vintage

Description

Vintage Native American Hopi Carved Black Ogre Katsina Doll by Austin Komalestewa Jr.

The Black Ogre (Nata-aska) and the White Ogre (Wiharu) are disciplinarians who appear around the time of the Powamuya ceremony. Both carry a saw (sometimes a knife) as well as a bow and arrows for hunting. Their outstanding feature is their long, flapping jaws, which they can clack quite loudly. The purpose of these Katsinam is to reinforce the Hopi way of life to the children of the Pueblo. These Ogres accompany Soyoko on her trip to collect food from the children. As a means of discipline, children are told the Ogres can swallow them whole unless they are good children. The fierce and threatening behavior of these Katsinam strikes fear into the children, but they are eventually saved from imminent danger by the people of their Pueblo. Anglos would call these Katsinam Boogeymen. This is a beautifully carved, delicate piece by Austin which we acquired from a collector.