Native American Hopi Carved Hehey'a Katsina Doll

Description

Native American Hopi Carved Hehey'a Katsina Doll by Dean Howato

The Hehey'a Katsina has no English name or translation. The Heheyas dance on the side of the procession and guard the other dancers; they talk in opposites...for instance, if the dance is good, Heheya says it is bad. Heheya is a relative of the Ogre family and appears at Powamuya. The people of Awatovi village were being very "un-Hopi" in their behavior and were warned by villagers from other mesas to return to their traditional Hopi ways. The people ignored the warnings and as a result one night many of them were invited into the kiva for a game of chance, to gamble. When the people went into the kiva the villagers from the other mesas threw chili peppers down from the top of the kiva into the fire and the people were poisoned by the chili pepper gas and burned in the fire. One man witnessed this event and ran from Awatovi. When he tried to explain what had happened through his tears, which streaked his face, he babbled incoherently and staggered around. Surely a case of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The villagers were very afraid of this being and his erratic behavior. He is seen in contemporary times when the Ogres come to the village homes to take the children. Heheyas will sneak around ahead of the Ogres and suddenly appear in windows to startle everyone. They are frightening reminders of Awatovi and what can happen when the people stray from the traditional Hopi life. Dean created this piece, and many of his other pieces, like his father Walter carved. They both made the carvings look much older than they are. This was from a private collection.