The Native American communities in the Santa Fe area bring such rich cultural contributions in their Kachina Dolls and Sculptures. There are authentic pieces to be found in the area. Please ask to be shown the authenticity by tribal affiliation and Indian heritage to be sure.
Kachinas
Kachina, is a Pueblo Indian word meaning spirit or life. Kachinas represent the spirit of the gods of nature such as clouds, sky, storms, and trees.
They are seen as Gods who can help people. They also represent the spirits of ancestors who become clouds, bringing much-needed rain.
They serve as entertainers and discipliners of children.
Kachinas can grant good fortune, such as fertility, power, and long life.
The dolls were created by both the Hopis and the Zuni Pueblo peoples. They are carved from wood and vary in size. The exceptional ones are carved from one piece of wood, although you will find some made of multiple parts.
The Hopis have more than a hundred at any one time and they change. There are thirty frequently used kachinas for ceremonies.
Some of the most popular are Sotuqnang-u, the god of the sky; Masao, the god of the earth, Kwanitaqa, the one-horned god and guardian of the Underworld; and Alosaka, the two-horned god of reproduction. There are also clowns, a runner, and many dance kachinas.
The Zuni also have a large number of kachinas they call "koko," or the spirits of men who come as ducks to bring rain and supervise hunts.
The Hopis produce kachina dolls for the tourist and collector market, but Zuni kachina dolls, look different from Hopi dolls, are often carved from pine, are not as available for sale. There are a few young Zuni artists who are carrying on the tradition.
It is believed by the Zunis that some Zuni kachinas live in the mountains, but most are found at the bottom of the mythical Lake of the Dead in Listening Spring Lake at the junction of the Zuni and Little Colorado Rivers.
The Zunis toss offerings of food into the Lake, from where they are transported to the Lake of the Dead. The koko occasionally leave their lake village and visit humans in the form of clouds.
Fetishes
The Zuni Pueblos are the designers of these small sometimes tiny animal sculptures that represent different powers of nature. The Zunis have been the most popular and successful carvers of fetishes for sale to the public, but Navajos throughout history have carried small fetishes in pocket bags. Cochiti fetishes are among the most valuable of all.
Stone of various sorts are the popular source for the fetish Native American artist.
The fetishes include: bears, moles, badgers, mountain lions, goats, sheep, frogs, turtles, horses, coyotes, wolves, and birds.
The materials used to carve fetishes include such traditional stones as black jet, abalone, sandstone, marble, serpentine, red coral, turquoise, alabaster, and mother-of-pearl.
The powers that the fetish represents to the owner is partly symbolic and partly magic. It is up to the owner how they believe these creatures work for them. It is traditional to carry this fetish in a medicine bag or any space (pockets or purses work) where it is always with them as a constant protection and reminder of that power.
A little extra help with power could help us all!
Here are the businesses in the Santa Fe area that have the kachina dolls or fetishes:
Medicine Man Gallery
Silver Sun
Packards
Keshi Zuni Connection
- 227 Don Gaspar Ave
- Fetishes
Eileen Richardson
