Supernatural Sculptures Figurative Sculpture

Supernatural: relates to the miraculous, divine powers that seem to go beyond the natural world

Our ‘supernatural’ inspiration…

The Hopi (Peaceful People) Native American Indian tribe Live on ‘mesas’ near San Francisco, CA & in parts of Arizona

The Hopi’s major concern is RAIN. ‘Kachina spirits’ help them bring rain for 6 months before a new growing season. Rain dance ceremonies are held often during this time

In July the spirits ‘go back into the mountains to rest.’

There are over 200 Hopi Kachina spirits Each have a different role or job to play in this culture.

People often dress up as the Kachinas for ceremonies

The Kachina dolls represent these spirits.

Folk Art: Art made by people with no training in art. Features traditional styles, subjects and materials of a culture handed down for generations. Hano Mana appears in the Bean Dance on Second Mesa and in the Water Serpent Ceremony on First Mesa. She holds spruce and corn in each hand

Pattern: repeating elements to increase surface texture A very deceptive and unclear Kachina. Sometimes she is the maid who grinds corn. Sometimes she is not considered to be a Kachina at all. While beautiful, the Butterfly Kachina Maiden does not appear to be a major Kachina figure

Motif: A central design in a pattern that can be consistent or contain varieties

Gesture: movement of the body that emphasizes an idea or attitude The Mocking Kachina makes fun of everyone when it appears at the Mixed Kachina Dance. He mocks the actions of anyone who passes within his view.

Armature: the inside support system of a structure

Papier Mache: a glue mixture that uses newspaper, wheat paste (flour) and water

More examples of Kachina dolls… A beautiful figure, Na-ngasohu appears in the Bean Dance Procession and carries a bell in his right hand. He wears a large eagle plume fan behind his head

Chakwiana represents Esteban the Moor who led the search for the Seven Cities of Cibola. Supposedly Chakwiana was killed at Zuni. Chakwiana is found in many pueblos along the Rio Grand. The story is that this beloved Kachina is her own grandmother.

Little is known about Makto. The doll is derived from an old mask found at First Mesa

The beautiful Eagle Kachina sometimes appears at night ceremonies in March along with the Mud Heads. The dancer imitates the motion and the cry of an eagle to perfection.

Very popular with the Hopi people, she represents a caricature of the Navajo. She appears at various times throughout the Kachina season.

Rising seven or eight feet above the plaza floor, these dancers are truly awe inspiring. She is the sister of Salako Taka, her brother, and they always appear together.

A really unpleasant Kachina, he is the dung- feeding Kachina. The loser in a race may have his mouth stuffed with a ball of dry dung, or have his face smeared with it by this Kwitanonoa.

Unique to Third Mesa, and appears along with Eototo at the Powamu Ceremony. He performs according to Eototo's direction and follows Eototo from place to place throughout the ceremony.

Eototo is chief of all the Kachinas and knows all of the ceremonies and plays a very complex role in all of them. Eototo controls the seasons.

What’s Next? Use the ideas & styles behind the ‘Kachina’ spirit dolls to create your own supernatural being. It should represent YOU if you were a spirit or supernatural being Brainstorm ideas & sketch out designs (wkst to follow) Your designs will have a wire ‘armature’ and be covered in papier mache. You can dress, decorate and paint your supernatural sculptures to depict your ideas Start bringing in your own materials to supplement what will be provided for you