Hopi Kachina Cradle Shalako Doll

9" H

Hand Carved from Cottonwood Root

Excellent Condition

Flat dolls are sometimes called "cradle kachinas" because they’re traditional hung above a baby’s cradleboard or placed near an infant as a protective charm.  They’re not tied to a specific "cradle kachina" spirit but serve a nurturing, educational purpose

This has been mounted on a stand for shelf display

The Sio Shalako (sometimes spelled Sio Salako or simply Shalako) is a kachina borrowed by the Hopi from the Zuni, their neighbors to the east in New Mexico. "Sio" means "Zuni" in Hopi, marking its origin, and "Shalako" refers to a towering, bird-like spirit tied to rain and fertility.  It’s one of over 400 kachinas in the Hopi pantheon, appearing in both ceremonial dances and as carved dolls (tihu).