December 1st, 2009 Posted in Native American | 15 Comments »
The Origin of Native American Art. Native American people represent only 1% of the population in the United States today even though they once dominated the entire North American continent. While many of these native groups have almost disappeared along with their culture, some of their beautiful art remains. Below is a discussion of five types of Native American art you might like to display in your home or give as an unusual gift.
Southwestern Kachinas
Kachinas are dolls which were created as representations of spirits or entities from the culture’s spiritual beliefs. After being crated, they were given to the children of the tribes as part of their instruction in the basic understanding of the myths and legends that shaped Hopi culture at the time. Frequently, these dolls were distributed during the dances which occurred between the Winter Solstice in December through the middle of July. During the dances, other members of the tribe would dress up as large forms of the Kachinas and would dance while others would pass out the dolls to the children. Both male and female dancers would be involved in the dances. Additionally, the dolls would be accompanied by gifts of other useful toys, such as bows and arrows, and sometimes sweets.
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