Navajo Kachina Hopi Koshare Clown By TCC

17.5" H

Hand Carved from Cottonwood Root and Signed TCC on the Bottom

Excellent Condition

The Koshare (also called Koosa, Tsuku, or Payakyamu) is a sacred clown in Hopi and Tewa Pueblo traditions.  Unlike Western clowns, Koshares are powerful spiritual figures who Teach through humor and satire, mocking bad behavior (e.g., gluttony, laziness) to enforce community harmony.  They Symbolize fertility, rain, sun, corn, and renewal and they perform in ceremonies, often with rattles, drums, and antics like spilling watermelon on themselves to parody excess.  They have White body paint with black stripes or circles around eyes/mouth, leather boots, raffia hair, and minimal masks (using body paint instead).