Navajo Kachina Ogre Doll By Pete Lopez

Hand Carved from Cottonwood Root and Painted with Natural Pigments and Adorned with Feathers

Kachina (or Katsina) dolls are traditional carvings representing supernatural spirits in Native American cultures, primarily among the Hopi and Zuni peoples of the Southwestern United States.  These dolls serve educational and ceremonial purposes, teaching children about natural forces, morality, and community values through symbolic dances and figures.  While central to Hopi spirituality, the Navajo people—neighbors to the Hopi—have adopted and adapted the form into their own artistic tradition, creating dolls that blend Navajo craftsmanship with Hopi-inspired motifs.