White Ogre Tihu (Katsina Figure)
A katsina is a spirit being who serves as a cultural guide in Hopi and Zuni communities. Young girls often receive a tihu, or katsina doll, as a cherished gift. This tihu takes the form of the ogre Nata’aska, who visits Hopi villages to discourage bad behavior and to remind children of their responsibilities to their community. This figure carries a bone-cutting saw and is dressed in traditional regalia, including a wraparound kilt, a concha belt, and a brocaded hip sash. In the 1920s, Hopi and Zuni carvers began to carve katsina dolls to sell to tourists, as demand for Native American souvenirs grew steadily at the turn of the century. The movable arms and added, rather than painted, garments suggest this figure was likely made for such a market.
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