How to Make a Kachina Doll

Authentic Kachina dolls (pronounced kah-CHEE-nah) represent religious spirits the Hopi Indians believe in. From December through July, the Hopi men wear costumes and masks to represent a Kachina spirit they feel they're reflective of during the tribe's ceremonial season. The Kachinas are of high religious importance to the Hopi Indians, as well as the Zuni tribes. Children are given Kachina dolls to learn the century old traditions of spiritual beliefs.

Things You'll Need

• Cottonwood Tree Root (for Section 1)
• Carving knives (for Section 1)
• Natural coloring elements (for Section 1)
• Decorative embellishments (for Section 1)
• Empty paper towel roll
• Craft tape
• Scissors
• Hot glue gun
• Ping pong or styrofoam ball
• Items to decorate the Kachina doll

Instructions

Make an Authentic Type Kachina Doll

1. Study which Kachina doll you want to carve. Obtain photos and diagrams of the Kachina doll carved by a Hopi Indian craftsmen. Research what the Kachina represents; for example, for luck in buffalo hunting you might want to carve a "Buffalo Maiden." Others might include the "Wakes (cow) Kachina" or the "Talasohn" which is the Zuni warrior. There are many names of other Kachinas that can represent health, death spirits, abundance in crops, and passages in the Hopi and Zuni cultures. Some of these will take on the persona of a person, the sun and the moon and others are in animal form such as a deer, wolf, bear, buffalo, badger, bird or a snake.

2. Learn to carve wood from an experienced wood craftsman or if you're so lucky, learn from a Hopi or Zuni Indian. If not, practice carefully before you start on your Kachina doll.

3. Obtain a section of a cottonwood tree root. The section should be at least 2 foot long and 6 to 8 inches across in diameter. Check with wood craftsmen as for the best location to obtain the cottonwood tree root for carving. Carve your Kachina doll as a solid piece of wood from the section of the cotton tree root.

4. Find natural elements such as berries, leaves and grasses, which can be ground to produce liquid to color, paint and stain the carved wood of the Kachina.

5. Adorn the Kachina with embellishments to decorate the doll. The embellishments should bring the spirit and character of the Kachina to life. Use small stones, strips of leather or suede, feathers or beaded bands, which are characteristic of the Hopi or Zuni Indians. Use some of the wood shavings from the doll carving as embellishments to help bring the character and spirit of the Kachina doll to life.

6. Cherish your Kachina doll and pass on its stories of character and spirit to your family and loved ones, just as the Hopi and Zuni Indians did with theirs.

Make a Kachina Doll Craft Project

1. Make two cut slits on opposite sides of an empty cardboard paper towel roll. You can use an empty wrapping paper roll cut to around one foot in length. The cuts should be around one third upwards on the roll. This now gives you two flaps to form the Kachina doll's legs.

2. Cut a slit in a horizontal direction, side to side, to create a T-cut shape on the top of both vertical slits previously made.

3. Roll the ends of the first leg flap and secure it with tape. Do the same with the other leg flap. The legs are in a cylinder shape.

4. Glue a ping pong ball or a styrofoam ball of the same size at the top of the Kachina doll with a hot glue gun. This is your doll's head.

5. Embellish or decorate the Kachina doll to represent the spirit you have chosen. Use colored construction paper, craft paints, feathers, beads, small stones, strips of leather or strips of cloth in the colors and textures needed to bring your Kachina doll into character.

6. Paint a piece of very sturdy cardboard, cut in a circle, to use as a base for your Kachina doll. You can also use a small circular piece of wood wide enough to use as a stand for your Kachina doll. Hot glue your Kachina doll onto the base to support your doll for viewing.