Sandy and I just returned from a most enjoyable buying trip on the Hopi Reservation. Our chest is now full of Hopi inventory jewels. I will feature many on this blog. We really do not deal in Kachinas, but it is difficult to go Hopi without returning with at least one or two. Although the Zuni and Navajo also carve Kachinas, the Hopi are the uncontested masters. Their Kachina are all carved from the root of the cottonwood tree which can be found on the reservation in the washes. Today, I had the joy of meeting up with a cottonwood root vendor and I bought a 4 foot length of the lightweight root from him for $20. The surrounding Hopi craftsmen began teasing me about what Kachina I would extract from my piece of wood. Perhaps I should feel some ecological remorse, I have plans to hang it on the wall to drap a special edition Pendleton woolen Tamaya Indian blanket. I also bought another Kachina directly from a Hopi carver for my new Grandson Bodhi to eventually inherit. I may put his mouse warrior up in a few days, but I'd like to sizzle a few pieces of Hopi master jewels herein before I do that.The frog kachina (Paqua in Hopi) dances at ceremonials to bring rain to the parched Hopi land. This particular Kachina was carved by Wilson Huma of the Hopi Roadrunner Clan. He lives in the village of Sichomovi on 1st Mesa.
