Hopi Kachina Water Clan Wuya (Spiritual Guardian) Coohsiuu Kioma Doll By Delbridge Honanie

ca.  2002

7" H x 7"  Base

Turtle and Tadpole Katsina Sculpture with Intricately Carved Base and is Very unique

From a Private Colorado Collection

Excellent Condition

Delbridge Honanie, a renowned Hopi painter and carver. Born in 1946 in Winslow, Arizona, and raised in the Second Mesa village of Shungopavi on the Hopi Reservation. He is of the Bear Clan (Honani phratry) and received his Hopi name Coochsiwukioma ("Falling White Snow") upon initiation into the Hopi Men's Society. He studied at the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe, graduating in 1970 under artist Otellie Loloma.

Honanie is a multifaceted artist known for vibrant acrylic paintings inspired by ancient Hopi murals, as well as carved kachina (katsina) dolls from cottonwood root. His work often depicts ceremonial life, clan migrations, and spiritual guardians, blending traditional symbolism with contemporary flair. He was named an Arizona Indian Living Treasure in 2006. Founding member of Artist Hopid (1970s), a collective of Hopi artists (including Michael Kabotie and Neil David Sr.) dedicated to educating the public about Hopi values through art. Their style draws from prehistoric Hopi rock art and murals, using bold colors to narrate clan stories and spiritual journeys.