Hopi Kachina Art

Kachinas a part of a complex religious system among the Hopi and Zuni, puebloan people of New Mexico. This system includes a belief in spiritual beings who live in the mountains, men who dance in ceremonies, and small objects given to children for religious instruction. At certain times of the year the spirits visit villages, bringing rain for the crops. Ceremonies are conducted to honor the spirits; religious society members receive instructions, create dance outfits, and perform for the community. Small images carved from cottonwood and painted are given to children to help them learn about the hundreds of spiritual beings. Contemporary Kachina figurines are more elaborate and often recreated as non-secular art and tourist items, sold throughout the southwest

generic New Mexico

Traded for an envelope of cards, mostly all Native themed. Several featured ancient ruins but these 2 do not identify their location. There are several possible reasons for this: they are stock photos that generically symbolize ancient peoples; the sites are protected; or the sites are on private lands. The text provides few details, suggesting that either the publisher or the consumer is not particularly interested in specifics.

"The first people to inhabit New Mexico were the members of the Clovis culture of Paleo-Indians. These inhabitants were followed by Native Americans as the Mogollon cultures."

"The natural sandstone of New Mexico made great building blocks for the Native American Indians that called N.M. home. some of those structures still stand today."