Old Style Hopi Carved Red Tail Hawk Traditional Katsina Doll Ornament

Old Style Hopi Carved Red Tail Hawk Traditional Katsina Doll Ornament

As a general rule, the Red Tail Hawk (Palakwayo) appears individually when it functions as sergeant-at-arms or policeman. In this role they either enforce an action, such as community cleaning, or as guards where they prevent the approach of anyone or anything to the proximity of a location or ceremony. When the Red Tail Hawk appears with other Guard or Warrior Katsinam in a group they are functioning as warriors. They surround the more sacred Katsinam as a small but ferocious army of fearsome creatures.