Hopi Kachina Long Hair Doll By Ted Nahpi

8.375" H

Hand Carved from Cottonwood Root and with Turquoise Painted Wood

Excellent Condition

The "Long Hair" Kachina (also known as Angak’china or Angakchina) is one of the most revered figures in Hopi tradition, representing a spirit that brings rain, fertility, and positive energy to the Hopi people. These dolls are hand-carved from cottonwood root, a material symbolically tied to the Hopi's arid environment and their search for water. Traditionally, they serve an educational purpose: Hopi men carve them as gifts for children (especially girls) to teach about the katsinam (spirits) that embody natural forces and cultural values. The Long Hair specifically symbolizes falling rain through its long, flowing hairstyle, beard, and feather tassels, which evoke clouds and precipitation. Dancers portraying this kachina appear in groups during ceremonies like the Niman (Home Dance), often accompanied by Corn Maidens, singing uplifting songs to encourage harmony with nature.