White Buffalo Katsina by award winning artist Abbot Poncho
Object : Katsina (Katchina)
Title : White Buffalo (Mosairu)
Carver : Abbot Poncho
Origin : Hopi
Size : 11"
Materials : Wood, paint, leather, shells, bells, yarn and feathers
There is white rabbit fur on the head, embellished with feathers. He wears a leather kilt with painted designs. Around his waist is a string of seashells, and a long wood paddle. Leather arm bands, ankle bands, and a bandolier across the chest further enhance the overall appeal. The lower legs, lower arms, and chest are decorated with white dots on black background.
One of the functions of the Buffalo Katsina is to bring the cold. He appears mostly in the winter months. He also serves the overall function of prayers for good health, good crops, and a good harvest. He is more sacred than other buffalos because of his character as a white buffalo.
About Katsinas:
Central to Hopi religion, Katsinas are supernatural beings believed to live on the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff, Arizona. Hopi men embody the Katsina spirits during ceremonies that take place between Winter Solstice and mid-July. The Hopis believe these spirits enable them to live in harmony with nature, ensuring rain, crops, fertility, and good hunting. The Hopi men embody the spirits of these Katsinas by wearing masks and dancing in the plazas of the villages. The dolls, which are carved replicas of the dancers, are given to the children so that they may learn about their people's traditions. The art of carving Katsina dolls has evolved from the old-style block-like figures into today's highly detailed, all-wood dolls with realistic form and action.
Over time, Katsina Dolls became more and more sophisticated and included bases for the dolls to stand on and showing the Katsina in “action”- such as dancing or hunting. All Katsina Dolls are carved out of the root of the Cottonwood tree. The Cottonwood tree’s vigorous roots travel far and deep in search of water. There is spiritual importance in this fact, as the Hopis are dry farmers in an arid part of Arizona and the search for water is of critical importance to their culture.
