Katsina Dolls

These Katsina (also kachina) dolls were created by Hopi people and these particular ones are from New Mexico. They are designed to teach children about Hopi mythology. I am going to borrow a quote here:

"The central theme of the kachina cult is the presence of life in all objects that fill the universe. Everything has an essence or a life force, and humans must interact with these or fail to survive." Barton, Wright (2008).  

Although the Katsina dolls have religious significance I think that they look brilliant from an artistic point of view and very contemporary.  The image below is from 1894:

Image from Jesse Walter Fewkes (1894) Dolls of the Tusayan Indians