Kachinas A spirit being in western Puebloan religious beliefs, Kachinas are a central theme within a number of cultures including the
Hopi and the
Tewa Village on the Hopi Reservation in
Arizona; and the
Zuni,
Acoma and
Laguna Pueblos in
New Mexico. Also called katchina, katcina, or katsina, these spirits, or personifications of things in the natural world, may represent anything from rain to crops, to various animals, stars, beloved ancestors, and even other Indian tribes. The word kachina derives from Hopi term kachi, which means "spirit father, life, or spirit."
There are more than 400 different kachinas in Hopi and
Pueblo culture which vary from one pueblo community to another. Kachinas are expressed in three different ways -- the spiritual or supernatural deities; the masked dancers who represent kachinas at religious ceremonies; and kachina dolls or carvings.
