Navajo Kachina Dolls

Gray Wolf Trading Post presents a collection of beautiful Navajo Kachina Dolls. Each of these Navajo Kachinas is individually handcrafted and handpainted.

At Gray Wolf Trading Post, we offer a wide selection of handmade Native American Navajo Kachina Dolls. These unique works of art are crafted and accented with natural materials.

Unlike the Hopi Katsinam, the Kachina holds no spiritual significance in Navajo culture; it is a craft some Navajo people use to earn a living. The Navajo have adopted concepts from various cultures, and it’s clear upon examining these dolls that they differ from the hand-carved Hopi Katsinam. Navajo Kachina dolls are machine-made, assembled, and then hand-finished by the Navajo craftspeople.

Each Navajo Kachina is individually handcrafted and hand-painted, ensuring no two dolls are alike in feathers or clothing. While we will do our best to fulfill your color preferences, not all characters are available in every color at all times.

Hopi Katsina dolls hold deep spiritual and cultural significance, but the Navajo dolls do not. Despite this, the Navajo bring a unique artistic style to their craft that sets their dolls apart from other Native American Kachinas. While borrowing much of their posture and basic symbolism from the Hopi, Navajo Kachina dolls are designed and decorated with a rich flourish that would diminish the spiritual significance for Puebloans.

Navajo Kachina dolls possess their own distinct beauty. Though they echo the concept and posturing of Hopi Katsinam, the differences are striking. Some of the fancy Navajo Kachinas available at Gray Wolf Trading Post are adorned with feathers, draped with beadwork, and come in various colors.

The primary purpose of Navajo Kachina dolls is as a source of creative income for the Navajo people. These dolls are excellent souvenir-quality pieces, priced significantly lower than Hopi hand-carved Katsina dolls. Several factors contribute to their affordability. The wood used for Navajo Kachina dolls is more abundant than the cottonwood root used for Hopi dolls. Additionally, many parts of the Navajo Kachina dolls are machine-made and then assembled by hand, allowing for higher production quantities. Once assembled, the dolls are hand-painted and decorated before being distributed to retailers like Gray Wolf Trading Post.

The modern methods used to create Navajo Kachinas do not diminish their collectibility. These dolls, particularly the more elaborate versions adorned with bright feathers and beads, are beautiful in their own right. The artistry, though focused more on the accessories than the Kachina itself, is still highly valued.

Many collectors find Navajo Kachinas as fascinating as Hopi Katsinam, and their more economical prices encourage people to start collecting these fine pieces of Native American art.^