American Indian Dolls & Kachina Dolls

Reflecting a key component of American Indian spiritual history, kachina dolls are intended to be physical manifestations of kachinas, an ancestral or natural force or spirit that guides a current generation. At the same time, kachina dolls invoke the history of American Indian artistry, with stylized representations and geometric motifs illustrating the remarkable range of American Indian artistic approaches.

Part of American Indian culture for millennia, “kachina” was the American Indian’s name for the spirits to whom they prayed for bountiful harvests and beautiful weather. As a means of educating the younger members of the tribe, artists began creating kachina dolls. Traditionally carved from cottonwood, these marvelous figures take on a range of stylized motifs, including references to flora and fauna, superimposed on a human-like body.

As techniques became refined, different designs reflected different spirits and different segments of the population, from more simplified sculptures intended for young infants to more complex and ornamented dolls intended for mature young girls. From this traditional as an educational tool, kachina dolls have also come to be recognized for their rich visual tradition, a collector’s item as much as they are a fascinating facet to American Indian culture.

Quick Facts

• Kachinas get their name from the Hopi Indian word “katsina,” meaning “supernatural”
• The pantheon of kachina spirits for each tribe is monumental, with some totaling in the hundreds
• Though they might extend further back into American Indian history, the oldest documented kachina doll dates back to the 18th century