Hopi Katsina dolls, carved and colorfully decorated wooden figures, are more than just beautiful works of art: They represent Katsinam spirits believed to bring blessings of good health, growth and fertility. A unique exhibition, celebrating the resurgence of a traditional carving method, features dozens of the Katsina (or “Kachina” to non-Hopi people) dolls and is open through May 4 in the lower level of the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art. The exhibition draws from local collectors, including local artists Wesley and Donna Anderegg, and includes work by four carvers, whose pieces are available for purchase.

The museum is open weekdays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. It is closed on Sundays and college holidays. It is located at 955 La Paz Road, Santa Barbara.

Traditionally, young Hopi children receive these dolls during ceremonies and dances throughout the calendar year in conjunction with planting, harvesting and celebrations. The dolls, which feature hundreds of characters, also serve as educational tools teaching children about each specific Katsina spirit, which include all things in the universe, rocks, stars, animals, plants, weather and more.

Beginning around 1900, as tourists began to venture into Hopi and other Native American lands, the dolls became highly sought-after collectables. Hopi carvers made and sold the dolls, sharing the rich cosmology of the Hopi people.   Traditional Hopi Katsina dolls take shape from the roots of cottonwood trees. Like the Hopi, these trees live in an arid climate and grow only near stable sources of water. Although the Navajo Nation completely surrounds it, the Hopi Reservation in northeastern Arizona is believed to be the oldest continuously inhabited land in the U.S., with the Hopi settling there between 900 and 1000 A.D. 

Read more about this exhibit here: https://www.westmont.edu/westmont-news/exhibit-highlights-traditional-hopi-katsina-dolls