Old Hopi Indian Kachina - Moki Snake Dancer fresh from old collection/Chusona

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Payment | Shipping Old Hopi Indian Kachina - Moki Snake Dancer fresh from old collection/Chusona Album Album Album Album Album Album Album Album Album AlbumA traditional Hopi Pueblo Indian cottonwood root carved Kachina depicting a Moki or Hopi Indian Snake Dancer (Chusona)- one of the most enigmatic and now banned ,to outsiders, dances performed on the Hopi Mesas of NorthWest Arizona - a beauty in original paint with some wear and most likely dating to the mid 20th century or earlier - a handsome and highly collectible figure, Chusona is however not a kachina but rather a society personage - is here offered fresh from an old estate and was collected in the 1950sMeasuring approximately 8.75 in. tall (22 cm) this fine old Hopi Snake Dancer "Kachina" is handsomely carved with a snake of rope and carved head and tail end along with carved kilt and fox tail, with remnants of feathers, leather cross straps and cotton twine at wrists and possibly a later addition to figure's left hand which might originally held a gourd rattle. There does not appear to be any repainting, nor repaired breaks, though the snake's tail is starting and there is a bit of glue residue at back of head where feathers are now lacking. There are also holes in the bottom of both booted feet - no doubt from a later stand which is no longer extant. The figure stands on its own though admittedly with its traditional forward dance position - precariously. The figures paint appears entirely original and native based. We love the fine carving of the face and expression - suggestive of an a carver of considerable experience. Costume details such as the necklace around the figures neck are hand painted, in the old manner. Very possibly this kachina dates to as early as the 1940s and as late as the 1950s.Fresh to the market, and seen here for the first time anywhere - for the discriminating collector of old and older native Hopi Pueblo Indian Kachina dolls - this magnificent snake dancer is offered without reserve.For more on the Hopi snake dance please see the following: Hopi Snake Dance.Many, had heard tales of a dramatic ritual that only occurred every other year in isolated Indian villages in Arizona. This religious ceremony that Victorian society found so horrifyingand so fascinatingsoon grew into a symbolic representation of Indian Country in the Southwest.The Passenger Department of the Santa Fe Railway played upon sensationalist, tourist visions of American Indians when it published Walter Houghs travel guide to The Moki Snake Dance. The guide describes Houghs text as a popular account of that unparalleled dramatic pagan ceremony with incidental mention of their life and customs.Houghs report focuses on this one unusual aspect of the Hopi religion, emphasizing it and subordinating the normal day-to-day activities of Pueblo life of the Hopi. The tourist industry promoted this contradictory view of Southwest Indians. On the one hand, the Hopi were shown as a peaceful people, who made elegant, hand-crafted objects. But on the other hand, the Snake Dance proved that these peoples were true savages at heart, in spite of their peaceful appearances. This duality captured the imaginations of elite visitors and provided a popular motivation for treks to the Southwest.Today, the Hopi Snake Dance is closed to all non-natives. There was a time before the 1990s when tourists were allowed to witness the Snake Dance, but no longer. There was also a time when Hopi carvers would not carve Snake Dancers, but that has relaxed somewhat now and some carvers will make them.The snake dancer has long had an intense fascination for the non-Hopi and as a consequence they are considered by many collectors to be among the most important and interesting pieces in their collections.Successful bidders please no... read more

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