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The people at KachinaHouse.com have graciously agreed to try to answer all Kachina questions. They will be drawing on their 30+ years of experience in buying and selling Kachinas to help answer the e-mails and will tell people all that they and their resources can on any and all questions regarding Kachinas. They have access to many carvers as well as others who have experience with the Native Peoples of the Southwest, and will call on them as needed. SEND YOUR KACHINA QUESTIONS to . Thank you again Kachina House!-From the Nest! |
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Within various Native American cultures, and more than a few non-Indian cultures as well, there are spirit beings whose existence and acknowledgement thereof has figured prominently in their cultural heritage. In many instances, to the point where this prominence can not be denied as being, very likely, the most attributable factor in the "people's" emergence as "a people" to begin with and most assuredly their continued, to this day, survival and existence.
Within all these varied people a common thread is woven: either they have dances with the dancers being elaborately painted and made up with costumes to which they attribute the origins as being given by, or racial memories of, "star beings/spirit beings"; or they have created over the past many and lost centuries, effigiesfacsimiles.dollssculptures, etc. - or both. This particular writing has nothing to do with any type of argument as to the validity of these "legends" or the "truth" behind them. It has nothing to do with whether I, personally, believe in them or not. Personally? In fact, I do. Less so, in some cases, more so in others, but most assuredly I believe that Truth does in fact lay as the basis for all of these instances. Now, you may have to think for yourself a bit about this, it will do you good (s), but the fact is, Hopi no more "worship" the Kachina than "Christians" "worship" the Cross. The Christian, if they are even halfway learned and intelligent in the ways of Judeo-Christian faith, hold the Cross as Holy and/or Sacred and they regard "Angels" as Sacred and Holy, but they worship The One the Cross represents, that is G*d. In short, they realize the difference between Sacred and Holy as "being set aside for G*d's Purpose within the realm of "worshipping G*d". An interesting (to me, anyway! lol) sidenote here is: It is interesting that actors within Japanese Nobuku plays are always men even those roles depicting females. The same applies to the Kachina Dancers. Many instances you will see "females" Kachinas, which in truth are called "kachin-mana" but when the Dancers are the depiction as opposed to "dolls", they will be always males behind the costumes. Depending on which book you read or which person you speak to, there are (rounded off) some 400 to 650 Kachina types/models/aspects. Certainly though, as far as availability to the non-Indian, you are only going to find some 100 or so as being listed on any modern carver/artist menu. Many times I shake my head in disbelief at how various peoples around the world insist on focusing in on what they perceive to be "differences" of other peoples, instead of realizing that those so-called differences are not so different after all. The first is a major, if not the major, reason behind this world's acceptance by any given common populace of non-stop warring on one another; while the second, if not eliminating it, would surely decimate the instances of it. Be this as it may, I put the following here for those of you who have marveled at the art of Kachina making, that is the "dolls" which are known as Kastinam by the Hopi, yet do not know of what they depict; and, to those of you who have yet to discover this beautiful method representation. Now we have another common thread, for Soyal begin as some of the Kachinas wake up and make their way down the San Francisco Mountains. Where is the common thread? Have you not wondered why, say in the Judeo-Christian testaments that the "high places" are reserved for G*d? And most assuredly there are many instances in all kinds of cultures whereby the high places or mountain peaks are said to be the "dwelling places of the gods". Or another people's legends forbid the ways to the mountain tops for "great and terrible" are the one's who live there? At any rate, the initial Kachinas come down from their abodes in the high mountains to initially begin to strengthen individual, clan and people for the upcoming "season". Actually, this is not so. It is during the False Spring, as it were, that the "earth" begins to wake up from its winter slumber. The earth might stumble and mumble around a bit just like humans do upon wakening from a long slumber, but just like we have the morning cup of coffee the earth is in fact, getting ready for the new season. It is during this 2nd set of ceremonies as well, that children are newly initiated in mysteries, knowledge and ways of the Kachina. For is not the child the springtime of the adult? And it is while the child is in fact a child or seedling that the true seeds of growing are sown. HEYA! Click Here to Continue on to Descriptions of the Kachina |
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