{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_62286/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_62286","id":"gutenberg_62286","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/62286","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Art","Category: How To ...","Handicraft","Hopi mythology","Kachinas"],"text":"[Illustration: KACHINA DOLLS]\n\n\n\n\n                             KACHINA DOLLS\n\n\n                                                                      BY\n                                                             W. BEN HUNT\n\n\nMILWAUKEE PUBLIC MUSEUM\n\n        POPULAR SCIENCE HANDBOOK SERIES NO. 7    SEPTEMBER 1957\n\n              PUBLISHED BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES\n                     \u00a91953 MILWAUKEE PUBLIC MUSEUM\n\n\n\n\n                                PREFACE\n\n\n                       by ROBERT E. RITZENTHALER\n                        Curator of Anthropology\n\n    [Illustration: {uncaptioned}]\n\nOn the sentinel-like mesas in the semi-desert land of northeastern\nArizona dwell some 3,500 of one of our most colorful Indian tribes of\ntoday, the Hopi. Living in their traditional adobe, multi-storied\n\u201capartment houses,\u201d called \u201cPueblos,\u201d they practice many of their old\nways and customs, and remain one of the tribes least affected by the\nwhite man. Agriculturalists they were and agriculturalists they are,\nfilling the fields at the base of the mesas, raising corn, beans, and\nsquash, but above all, corn. In this area where land is good, but\nmoisture is all-important, the Hopi have developed a religion much\nconcerned with prayers and ceremonies to bring rain and good crops.\nDuring the Snake Dance, for example, snakes are held in the mouths of\nthe dancers and then released into the desert as messengers to the gods\nto inform them that the Hopi need rain.\n\nLess widely known to the world than the Snake Dance, but very important\nto the Hopi as a spiritual means of petitioning for rain, good weather,\nbountiful crops, and other blessings, is the Kachina cult. The Hopi\nbelieve that the Kachinas are a band of supernatural beings who live in\nthe nearby mountains and pay visits to the villages at intervals during\nthe first half of each year. At these times the men don the masks and\ncostumes representing particular Kachinas, and perform dances and\nceremonies in their honor. By wearing these costumes the men not only\nphysically impersonate the Kachinas, but also assume their spirits. The\ndances and ceremonies take place both in the underground chambers,\ncalled kivas, where only men are allowed, and out on the village plazas\nwhere all may watch. During the latter, the dancers follow the leader in\nsingle file to the plaza where they line up facing east. The leader, at\nthe center, begins the singing to the rhythm of his rattle; then the\nothers join in, and the dancing begins. For the next song the dancers\nface north, then west, after which they distribute gifts, usually a bow\nand arrow for a boy and a Kachina doll for a girl. They then retire to a\nsecluded area to unmask, relax, and prepare for the next set of songs\nand dances.\n\nIn some of the dances 30 or 40 men will be dressed alike; in others a\nvariety of Kachinas participate. Besides the serious dances there are\nhumorous ones put on by clowns, or \u201cmudheads\u201d as they are popularly\ncalled. The mudheads are distinguished by their distinctive, mud-colored\nmasks and provoke much laughter with their impromptu pranks and\nburlesquing of both Indian and white man, and even of the Kachina\ndances.\n\nWhile the term \u201cKachina\u201d refers to the mythological beings, and to the\nmasked dancers who impersonate them, it is also used to refer to the\ndolls, which are miniature but accurate reproductions of them. Kachina\ndolls are made by the men to be given to the girls during the Kachina\nceremonies. Children eagerly await the Giver Kachina, the counterpart of\nour Santa Claus, who wears a blue mask and carries a bundle of gifts on\nhis back. His arrival is announced by a herald stationed on a roof top.\nHe passes among the crowd distributing gifts to the children, such as\ncandy, bows and arrows, and the especially desired Kachina dolls. Each\ngirl receives at least one, and some may receive as many as a half\ndozen. They are played with as dolls, often being carried about in\nminiature cradles. They also, however, serve a useful purpose in\nacquainting the Hopi children with the names, kinds, details of\ncostumes, and religious lore of the Kachinas. In a very real sense,\nthen, they are the educational toys of the Hopi. The dolls are never\nworshipped and are not to be considered idols, but rather serve as\nconstant reminders of the Kachinas, especially during the summer and\nfall when the Kachinas have returned to their mountain home. They are\nhandled and carried about the village by the girls, but for the most\npart they will be seen hanging from the walls or rafters of the pueblo\nrooms.\n\nThe dolls described in this booklet are but a few of the many types. Not\neven the Hopi can tell you how many different Kachinas there are, but\ntheir number has been estimated at 250. Only about 200 are in current\nuse, and these change with the years as new ones are added, and others\ndisappear from usage.\n\n\n\n\n                              INTRODUCTION\n\n\n    [Illustration: {uncaptioned}]\n\nOur Southwest is a veritable treasure chest of interesting things made\nby clever Indian craftsmen. Here and there, at Indian trading posts or\nIndian roadside stands along the way, among the rugs, sashes, pottery,\nand silver and turquoise jewelry, you will find Kachina dolls. Not too\nmany. Up until a few years ago they were quite scarce in the trading\nposts, but could be bought at the various Hopi pueblos, where the best\nones are made. While they were originally made for their little girls,\nas stated in the preface, they produced even more of them when it was\ndiscovered that tourists prized them. And like everything else, someone\nsaw a chance to earn a dollar and started to manufacture them. Some\nyears ago the Japanese even went so far as to make them of papier-mache.\nMany of them are machined and given a quick coat of paint. But you can\nstill buy good Kachina dolls both on the mesas and at trading posts.\n\nAll in all the Hopi-made dolls are good, and usually when you find one a\nbit worn, with a cord around its neck, you can figure that at one time\nit adorned a pueblo wall. The Hopi Kachina makers take great pride in\ntheir work. Their dolls are made out of cottonwood roots, which gives\nthem that sort of rough texture that is pleasing to the eye. Some of the\nvery old dolls have cloth and buckskin clothing to make them more\nrealistic, but for the most part they are made entirely of wood with the\nexception of feathers and fluffs, as shown in the following pages.\n\nAs mentioned before, there are about 250 different Kachinas, but the\nHopi do not make that many different dolls. There are certain Kachinas\nthat lend themselves better to carved dolls, and it is with these that\nwe will deal.\n\nYears ago, when starting out boys and girls in whittling, I made it a\npractice to give them Kachina dolls to whittle, for various reasons. It\nacquainted them with the feel of wood and the meaning of grain. It\ntaught them how to sharpen a knife, and how to use it. And best of all,\nthey whittled figures without having to worry about human faces, which\nare the bugaboo of all whittling novices, and a lot of others, too.\n\nThis booklet will mainly show how Kachina dolls are whittled and\npainted, and to what use they can be put. This is not an ethnological\nthesis, but is written for the craft-minded who like to whittle, and who\nlike Kachina dolls. I do not imagine that anyone will make all of the\nobjects listed and described, but there may be one or more of them that\nyou will enjoy making.\n\nThe first thing you will need is a piece of wood. Since it would be\nrather difficult to obtain cottonwood roots, our next best bet is a\npiece of straight-grained soft wood. I have used sections of green,\nknot-free basswood, willow, and poplar saplings or branches with good\nresults. A piece of wood about 1\u00bd inches in diameter is of a proper size\nto start out with. The green wood whittles easily and, due to the short\nlengths and deep cuts, it is not likely to check. And of course it is\nalready round.\n\nAlso, white pine, sugar pine, and basswood can usually be bought at a\nlumber yard or millwork shop. It should be cut in rectangular sections\nand then rounded.\n\nThen, of course, you will need a knife that holds an edge. A good\nquality of pocket knife is best, and all the whittling I have ever done\nhas been with a small blade, from 1\u00bc to 1\u00bd inches long. As the knife\ncomes from the store it is not sharp enough for whittling. So get a\nsmall abrasive stone, and a piece of leather to strop it on, and sharpen\nit until you cannot see the edge; as long as you can see a \u201cwhite\u201d line\nor spot on the edge, your knife is not sharp. Thereafter, keep it sharp\nat all times.\n\nYou will also need sandpaper to sand down the knife cuts in the wood.\n\nNow for the part that worries most beginners: painting the dolls. If you\nhave a fairly steady hand, and use a good brush, this should not be too\nmuch of a problem. I have often said that it a person can pare a potato\nwithout wasting it, and can write fairly well, he or she can make a\nKachina doll.\n\nWe use water colors for painting. That is what the Hopi use, and water\ncolors are not so messy. While any good brand of water colors will do\nthe trick, you will have the best success with poster or show-card\ncolors. They are opaque and cover better than transparent water colors.\nAlthough many of the old Kachina makers use brushes made out of yucca\nleaf stems, chewed and trimmed to the sizes required, you can pick up a\ncouple or three small brushes that will do a better job. Sable-hair\nbrushes are best, but also more expensive.\n\nPainting the dolls is not as difficult as one may think. Remember\u2014you\ndon\u2019t have to paint faces, and the masks are all more or less abstract\nor symbolic in design. And furthermore you don\u2019t have to do any shading\nor blending. It is all flat work.\n\nThere are two methods of painting. Most of the old-time Kachina makers\ngive the entire doll a coat of white paint first, and the rest is\npainted over that. But usually, with good poster colors to work with, it\nis easier to lay out and paint each color directly on the bare wood. The\ncolors dry rather rapidly and, if used rather thick (not too much\nwater), they will not be apt to run or bleed where colors overlap. So\ndon\u2019t let the painting stop you. I have seen cub scouts make some very\nnice looking dolls.\n\nThe Indian does nothing to preserve the painted surface and the water\ncolors are apt to smudge and wear off. On the other hand, a glossy\nsurface on a doll looks awful, and is not in character. So we suggest\nthat you use a light spray coat or two of Krylon, or Spray-fix, or any\nother crystal-clear spray, such as come in bomb cans. Krylon is a\ncrystal-clear plastic spray, and Spray-fix is a fixative (in a bomb can)\nsuch as is used by artists to prevent smudging of pencil, charcoal, or\npastel drawings. But whatever you use to preserve the water color, it\nshould be \u201cwater white\u201d and should not be sprayed on to impart a shiny\nsurface, except where stated otherwise in the following pages.\n\nNaturally, questions arise as to where one can get ideas for more\ndifficult kinds of Kachina dolls, or Kachina costumes. Here are a couple\nof good books which contain such information: Hopi Kachinas, by Edward\nKemrard; Ceremonial Costumes of the Pueblo Indians, by Virginia\nRoediger.\n\nMoreover, Kachina dolls are shown from time to time in Arizona Highways\nMagazine and there are many crayon drawings of Kachinas, made by a Hopi\nIndian, in the 1899-1900 Annual Report of the Bureau of American\nEthnology.\n\n    [Illustration: PALAH\u2019IKO MANA]\n\n    [Illustration: HEMIS]\n\n    [Illustration: {uncaptioned}]\n\n    [Illustration: PAK IOKWICK]\n\n    [Illustration: MUDHEAD]\n\n\n\n\n                           HOPI KACHINA DOLLS\n\n\n    [Illustration: {uncaptioned}]\n\nThe dolls shown {above} were carefully drawn from old specimens in the\ncollection in the Milwaukee Public Museum. Each one has a cord around\nthe neck with a loop at the back for hanging on a wall.\n\nAll the bodies were made from cottonwood roots. The tablets are of other\nwoods whittled thin. It is said that the Kachina doll makers, and also\nthe makers of the actual Kachina masks, pay the most attention as a rule\nto the masks. While the rest of the costumes may vary, the masks usually\nhold true to ancient traditional forms and designs.\n\nThese dolls will also acquaint the beginner with the different methods\nof whittling, particularly the moccasins and arms. Colors also vary,\ndepending on what colors are on hand. Today many of the dolls are\npainted with poster colors because they are easier to obtain than\nformerly.\n\nMost of these old dolls are slightly wider than they are thick, or shall\nwe say, slightly flattened from front to back. The Hemis Kachina is\nshown here with a green background on the tablet, whereas recent books\nshow it to be blue: otherwise, the traditional characteristics are\npreserved. Indians often confuse these two colors.\n\n    [Illustration: KEME]\n\n    [Illustration: CROW]\n\n    [Illustration: HOT\u2019E]\n\n\n\n\n                           HOPI KACHINA DOLLS\n\n\n    [Illustration: {uncaptioned}]\n\nThe {Keme} doll shown is an old one brought to me by a trader. It was in\nrather poor condition. The paint was smeared and rubbed off in places.\nBy carefully matching the original colors, I went over the entire doll.\nNote the feet. They are different from those of any of the five on the\npreceding page.\n\nThe Crow Kachina is one that I selected for a lamp base. In the actual\ncostume there are real crow wings attached to the mask, but these dolls\nare also made with wings of wood in several different styles.\n\nThe Hot\u2019e Kachina is often used for doll designs, and here, too, some\ndolls have small feathers attached to the mask, while others have wooden\nsymbolic feathers. Some Hot\u00e9 dolls have a miniature concha belt made of\ntin and a thin strip of black leather. The bow and rattle, of course,\nare slipped respectively into a notch and a hole in the hands.\n\n\n                                 STYLES\n\n    [Illustration: Saw out slot for legs]\n\n    [Illustration: This is the simplest way of whittling Kachina dolls\n    from a round piece of wood. Mark as shown at left and cut out piece\n    between the feet and legs.]\n\n    [Illustration: Slot for legs. Dotted lines show how block is marked\n    with pencil.]\n\n    [Illustration: Ears and nose are set into mortices.\n\n    This is an old Indian method of whittling dolls. Note that the upper\n    body is quite flat, and that the head and skirt are oval in\n    cross-section.]\n\n\n\n\n                                 STYLES\n\n\n    [Illustration: ]\n\nFor the most part, Indians tend to make their doll bodies flat,\nespecially figures ten inches or more in height. About the only sawing\nthat is done is in cutting the space between the legs. For the beginner\nwe have shown two types, the round and the flat. The different sections\nare marked as shown by dotted lines, and from there on in it is just a\ncase of whittling. Arms, as shown in the lower doll, are whittled out,\nbut occasionally they are whittled separately and tacked and glued on.\nAll other appendages, such as nose, mouth, eyes, ears, and tablets are\nset into mortices cut to fit, and glued. While plastic cements dry\nquickly, it is better to use a glue that water color will adhere to.\nRegular hide glue or Elmer\u2019s glue are fine. You will note that there are\na great many ways of whittling feet. That seems to be a matter of\nchoice.\n\nFigures should be sandpapered, preferably with medium-grit sandpaper.\nThe finish can be made to look very much like the rough texture of\ncottonwood root.\n\n\n                          EAGLE KACHINA DOLLS\n               Most colors can be gotten from the cover.\n\n    [Illustration: Ruff of painted feathers.]\n\n    [Illustration: The tail is merely black-tipped eagle feathers like\n    the wings.]\n\n    [Illustration: Use a quick-drying glue rather than cement to fasten\n    parts together.]\n\n    [Illustration: The fox skin can be painted a reddish-buff. Sash is\n    made separate and glued on.]\n\n\n\n\n                           EAGLE KACHINA DOLL\n\n\n    [Illustration: {uncaptioned}]\n\nDolls of this type are not found in many of the western trading posts,\nand where you do find one it will have quite a price tacked to it.\n\nTo make this one, which is about eight inches high, you\u2019ll need for the\nbody a soft wood block about 2\u00bd by 3 by 8 inches in dimensions. By\nenlarging with squares, the sizes of the various parts can be\nascertained. The wings should be of thin wood, preferably \u00b3/\u2083\u2082 inch\nthick. If a quick-drying glue is used, such as Elmer\u2019s Glue-all, no\nbrads are required. I like to use glue rather than cement, because water\ncolor paints will stick to places where glue appears, but will not stick\nto cement.\n\nThese dolls are sometimes glued to a base of some sort, and so make\nbeautiful lamp bases. However, when used for that purpose, the doll is\nnot drilled for wiring. Instead a piece of \u215c-inch brass tubing is used,\nbent as shown in the small sketch in the lower left-hand corner. Of\ncourse, a suitable shade should be made, one with a Pueblo Indian\ndesign.\n\n\n                            COSTUME JEWELRY\n\n    [Illustration: EAR ORNAMENTS]\n\n    [Illustration: LAPEL PIN\n    half round\n    Safety-pin set in plastic wood]\n\n    [Illustration: TIE CLASP\n    half round\n    Set in plastic wood]\n\n    [Illustration: ZIPPER PULL\n    half round]\n\n    [Illustration: NECKLACE\n    Dolls for necklace are made round.\n    Use wood or glass pony beads.]\n\n\n\n\n                            COSTUME JEWELRY\n\n\n    [Illustration: {uncaptioned}]\n\nIf you want to please a lady or a girl, make her some of these. They are\ncolorful, to say the least, and decorative.\n\nThe ear ornaments and the necklace are made of birch dowel rod, which is\neasy to whittle in miniature. Plastic screw clamps can be bought at\nalmost any notion counter, and they are simply cemented onto the backs\nof the dolls. Do not make them more than 1 inch high. The necklaces,\nalso rather unique, should be strung with wooden beads if possible to\nreduce the weight.\n\nFor these pieces, several coats of clear nail polish are used, or clear\nlacquer. Unlike the larger figures, they should have a good glossy\nfinish. Owing to the smallness of some of these figures, it is best to\nwhittle each on the end of a longer piece of dowel rod, and then cut it\noff with a fine coping or jeweler\u2019s saw (See drawing {above}). Then\ncement on the clamp in order to have something to hold to while painting\nit.\n\n\n                                 LAMPS\n\n    [Illustration: {uncaptioned}]\n\n    [Illustration: {uncaptioned}]\n\n    [Illustration: All drilling should be done before starting to\n    whittle. The hole in the doll should be slightly smaller than the\n    nipple. To insert nipple soak the wood around the hole with shellac\n    and screw the nipple in. It will cut its own thread in the wood and\n    the shellac will keep it from turning.]\n\n    [Illustration: Wall bracket wire is concealed in groove.]\n\n    [Illustration: Drill lead holes for screws.\n    Use a little glue.\n    It is much simpler to insert the cord before fastening the doll to\n    the base.]\n\n\n\n\n                                 LAMPS\n\n\n    [Illustration: {uncaptioned}]\n\nI enjoy making lamps, and have made many Kachina doll lamps, each\ndifferent from the others\u2014different dolls, different bases, and\ndifferent shades. The dolls should be made out of at least 2-inch wood.\nA 2\u00bd-inch size is better, the over-all base and doll measuring about 9\ninches in length. This is a good proportion.\n\nIn making bracket lamps, the doll can be set right on the bracket, as\nshown at lower left, and the brackets can be painted to harmonize with\nthe doll, or stained or painted to match the woodwork of the house.\n\nI have also made totem pole lamps on this same principle, using\nNorthwest Coast Indian designs on base and shade.\n\nIn making the drum base shown here, either of two methods may be used.\nWhen I have a lot of time, I lace rawhide over the block and paint it.\nUsually, however, I simply paint the circular base to resemble an Indian\ntom-tom.\n\n\n                              LAMP SHADES\n\nPaper lamp shades are rather easy to make after you know how to go about\nit. Of course a wire frame is required. These can sometimes be bought,\nbut as a rule a frame can be taken from a discarded shade of the proper\nsize. Only the top and bottom rings are required for the round shades.\n\n    [Illustration: Design taken from pottery.\n\n    Use a round shade with a round base.\n\n    This is the conventional shape. If you can not get a pattern from\n    the former covering, a new one can be easily laid out as follows:]\n\n    [Illustration: PROCEDURE]\n\n  1. Lay out and cut shade.\n  2. Draw outline with waterproof drawing ink and color with transparent\n          water color.\n  3. Glue ends together (be sure shade fits the ring).\n  4. Punch and lace.\n  5. Apply clear plastic spray.\n\n    Remember:\n    Diameter \u00d7 pi (3.1416) gives you the circumference. Allow \u00bd inch for\n    gluing.\n\n    [Illustration: Punch holes about \u00bc inch from edge and lace with\n    plastic or leather lace.]\n\n    [Illustration: Frames for square shades should have wire uprights at\n    corners.\n\n    A square shade is the proper thing to use on a lamp with a square\n    base. This is usually covered with four separate pieces laced\n    together at the corners and the top and bottom.]\n\n                               PROCEDURE\n  1. Cut four sides.\n  2. Draw outlines in waterproof ink and color as above.\n  3. Punch holes \u00bc inch from edges.\n  4. Holes on sides should match to make a neat lacing job.\n  5. Lace all four side pieces to the top.\n  6. Clamp lower edges and lace the corners.\n  7. Lace bottom edge.\n  8. Give entire shade several light coats of clear plastic spray.\n  Use a \u215b-inch paper punch.\n\n\n\n\n                              LAMP SHADES\n\n\n    [Illustration: {uncaptioned}]\n\nSince shades, in order to harmonize with Kachina doll lamps, cannot be\nbought in stores, they will have to be made. There are three types of\nshade that will look good: the cylindrical shade; the conventional\nround, tapered shade; and the square shade. Round shades should be\nselected for round bases, and square shades for square bases.\n\nUse smooth three-ply drawing or bristol board, and transparent water\ncolors are better than poster colors.\n\nShades can be parchmentized by applying a mixture of one part turpentine\nand two parts mineral oil. Apply the mixture to both sides with a wad of\nabsorbent cotton, and wipe off the surplus. This is done after the shade\nis painted and glued together, since glue will not adhere to any oiled\nsurface.\n\nI prefer to leave the paper white, just giving it several light coats of\nclear plastic spray to prevent soiling.\n\nDesigns for shades should be appropriate. Southwest Pueblo designs fit\nin well, such as thunder birds, rain birds, Kachina masks, etc. Your\nlibrary will no doubt be able to furnish many ideas along these lines.\n\nIf you object to lacing shades to the wire frame, you can use passe\npartout binding tape which is already gummed and only has to be\nmoistened before applying.\n\n\n                           CERAMIC ASH TRAYS\n\n    [Illustration: {uncaptioned}]\n\n\n\n\n                           CERAMIC ASH TRAYS\n\n\n    [Illustration: {uncaptioned}]\n\nThis is one item that is becoming quite popular through the West and\nthere seems to be no limit in what can be done along these lines. You\nwill probably get a lot of ideas when traveling, but here are a couple\nthat are slightly \u201cdifferent.\u201d\n\nThe top tray can be made of Mexican modeling clay or some other clay\nthat does not require firing. In that case the top and inside are not\ndecorated, and the outside decoration is put on with poster color and\ncovered with several coats of plastic or clear lacquer to give it a\nkiln-dried ceramic appearance.\n\nA cigarette box can also be made in the shape of a Kachina mask as a\ncompanion piece to the tray. While the lower tray has the conventional\ngeneral shape, it could also be made with vertical sides.\n\nA few years ago it was rather difficult to obtain a good turquoise blue,\nbut it is now on the market.\n\n\n                            TOBACCO CANISTER\n\n    [Illustration: A one-pound coffee can is just right.\n\n    For better painting, scrape off all printed matter and wipe from can\n    before starting other work.\n\n    Can be painted with enamels, colored lacquer, or dope, but do not\n    try to use both on one job. They do not mix.]\n\n    [Illustration: Fasten together with glue and one screw.\n\n    The grooves in the cover and the base can be cut on a lathe, using a\n    face plate.\n\n    Fasten the cover to plywood with tacks. Put some thick shellac in\n    the groove.\n\n    \u201cNose\u201d and \u201cears\u201d should fit snug to can. Punch holes in tin and put\n    a coat of thick shellac on the wood when nailing ears to can.\n\n    Fasten base by pulling shellac in groove and fasten with small\n    brads.\n\n    Use a nail set and drive brads into base.]\n\n\n\n\n                            TOBACCO CANISTER\n\n\n    [Illustration: {uncaptioned}]\n\nThis canister speaks for itself. There is this much to be said for it:\nthe lady of the house isn\u2019t so apt to hide it when she is preparing for\nguests.\n\nAs with any Kachina project, there is practically no limit to what can\nbe done in regard to design. You can take your pick of masks, and can\nselect the appendages that you like best.\n\nCoffee cans have just about the proper shape and proportions for these\ncanisters, and the covers fit tightly. Be sure to smooth down the edges\nof the can, using fine emery or other abrasive cloth.\n\nThe inside of the can should be given a coat of clear lacquer to prevent\nrust from forming, since many brands of tobacco are slightly damp.\n\n\n                           NECKERCHIEF SLIDES\n\n    [Illustration: Mask slides are easily made. Bore a \u00be-inch hole for\n    the neckerchief first and the proceed as with any other mask.]\n\n    [Illustration: For a full figure slide, use only a half round piece\n    of wood, and glue a loop of leather to the back of it.]\n\n    [Illustration: ALUMINUM\n\n    This aluminum slide can be made without welding. The snout is\n    riveted in before bending the mask.]\n\n    [Illustration: SILVER\n\n    Beautiful slides can be made of sterling silver, and since it is\n    easily soldered, more can be added than with other materials. The\n    eyes are inset with turquoise forced into the bezel and then ground\n    off flush.]\n\n    [Illustration: When the tablette is forced down over the mask it\n    holds everything securely.]\n\n\n\n\n                           NECKERCHIEF SLIDES\n\n\n    [Illustration: {uncaptioned}]\n\nSlides are always in demand in scouting, and we show here four different\nmethods of making them.\n\nThose made of wood are very colorful. In making the full figure, only\nthe vertical, front half of the form is used, and a ring of any material\nmay be attached to the back.\n\nMetal slides require a little more work. Aluminum is a good metal for\nyoungsters. This requires no welding, but the tablet is fastened to the\nmask with a tight drive fit.\n\nSilver, of course, is for the finished craftsman, and anyone familiar\nwith silver soldering methods can easily produce one like that shown at\nthe bottom of the page. If turquoise is used, so much the better.\n\nThese metal slides are eye-catchers, since they are not to be found in\nstores.\n\n    [Illustration: CEILING LIGHT FIXTURES]\n\n    [Illustration: BOOK ENDS\n\n    It is necessary to add a metal base such as this on light-weight\n    bookends. Be sure there are no sharp edges on it that might scratch\n    the furniture.]\n\n\n\n\n                         CEILING LIGHT FIXTURE\n\n\nProbably your thought on this fixture will be, \u201cYou can\u2019t put that in a\nliving room.\u201d Not in any or every living room, but I know a beautiful\nlarge living room where a similar one is hung and it certainly sets off\nthe Navaho rugs and Indian baskets and pottery in that room. This\nfixture would be ideal in a den or recreation room.\n\nA cluster of four light bulbs should light it, or a socket can be set on\neach of the four sides. Frosted, or better still, an opal glass should\nbe used. The side pieces are taken from the woven designs on Hopi\nwomen\u2019s dresses, predominantly black.\n\n\n\n\n                               BOOK ENDS\n\n\nThese can also be made without the back or upright; that is, the doll\nwould be set flush with the back edge of the base. But the metal base\nmust be added unless the wooden base is well weighted with lead. I have\nmade them that way, but prefer the thin metal piece instead.\nTwenty-gauge brass works out nicely. To fasten it, use small flat-head\nscrews, countersunk, and give the metal a coat of thin shellac where it\nfits into the wood. Wood and metal must be flush along the bottom.\n\n    [Illustration: KACHINA DOLL POSTS]\n\n\n\n\n                           KACHINA DOLL POSTS\n\n\n    [Illustration: {uncaptioned}]\n\nThese attractive gate posts are rather easy to make. I used sections of\nold electric-line or telephone poles. They are of cedar and will\nwithstand the weather. After cleaning the surface of the post with a\ndrawknife, it is worked with a small hand ax, chisel, and mallet. Note\nthe 2-foot or 3-foot projection left on the bottom to set it.\n\nPaint with ordinary house paint and, if you wish, finish with a coat of\nclear varnish to protect the paint. I used water colors and finished\nwith two coats of clear spar varnish. But house paints are easier to\nobtain.\n\nThe hearth posts may be flattened somewhat at the back to fit tightly\nagainst the fireplace. Telephone poles make the best material as they\nare well seasoned. The mantel shelf should be at least 2 inches thick.\nThree inches would be better, and could be effected by gluing a 3-inch\npiece of \u215e-inch lumber around the front and two ends to give it the\nappearance of a solid 3-inch plank.\n\n\n\n\n                              BIBLIOGRAPHY\n\n\n  Arizona Highways Magazine.\n    Various issues.\n\n  Cody, Bertha P.\n    1939. Kachina Dolls. The Masterkey, Vol. 13. Los Angeles.\n\n  Colton, Harold S.\n    1949. Hopi Kachina Dolls. Univ. of New Mexico Press. Albuquerque.\n\n  Dockstader, Frederick J.\n    1954. The Kachina and the White Man. Cranbrook Bulletin 35.\n          Bloomfield Hills, Mich.\n\n  Earl, Edwin.\n    1938. Hopi Kachina. Waverly Press. Baltimore.\n\n  Fewkes, J. W.\n    1903. Hopi Kachina. Bur. of Amer. Ethnology, Ann. Rept. 21.\n          Washington, D. C.\n\n  Mera, H. P.\n    1937. Rainbird. Lab. of Anthropology Memoir, Vol. 2. Santa Fe.\n\n  Roediger, Virginia.\n    1941. Ceremonial Costumes of the Pueblo Indians. Univ. of Calif.\n          Press. Berkeley.\n\n  Underhill, Ruth.\n    1944. Pueblo Crafts. U. S. Indian Service, Phoenix Indian School.\n          Phoenix, Ariz.\n\n\n\n\n                          Transcriber\u2019s Notes\n\n\n\u2014Silently corrected a few typos.\n\n\u2014Retained publication information from the printed edition: this eBook\n  is public-domain in the country of publication.\n\n\u2014Adjusted some references to images to fit a reflowable eBook {changes\n  are included in brackets}.\n\n\u2014In the text versions only, text in italics is delimited by\n  _underscores_.","title":"Kachina Dolls","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":5150}