Native cultures of the American Southwest produce three main kinds of Kachina figures. The Hopi and the other Pueblo cultures produce tithu figures, which are religious, educational toys that portray Kachina spirits, the benevolent spirits of the Pueblo religion. The tithu are carved by men in the community and given to girls at the beginning of the Kachina season, to help … [Read more...] about Kachina Figures: Researched by Darbi Dugan and Ashley McLaughlin
Masks have a long history in Mesoamerica, and they have been used in theatrical productions, dances, and rituals in Mexico from ancient times through the present day. Of these five masks, two are reproductions of ancient masks, one is an actual ancient mask, and two are 20th-century masks likely worn in modern Mestizo (mixed Hispanic and indigenous cultures) festival … [Read more...] about Mexican Masks, Past and Present: Researched by Emily McClain and Joshua Burd
Tepache vessels are known today as elaborately decorated ceramic vessels produced for the tourist trade by the potters of San José de Gracia, a village in the Mexican state of Michoacán. The vessels were first created by the potter Elisa Madrigal Martínez, who began making them in the 1930s after she had moved from Carapan to San José de Gracia; up until that time, the potters … [Read more...] about Tepache Vessel with Three Calla Lilies on Lid: Researched by Sarah Teel
Amate paper is a traditional form of bark paper that is believed to have been developed by the Maya during the Mesoamerican Classic period (250-900 CE). The making of amate paper is labor-intensive, and the ancient Mesoamericans likewise highly valued amate and even gave paper as tribute and as offerings to the gods. The paper was also made into ritual garments and into … [Read more...] about Amate Paper Wall Decoration: Researched by Josh Barry
Dolls are popular tourist-trade items throughout Mexico and northern Central America. The styles of the dolls have changed over the decades, with some adopting a more generic or international “stuffed toy” form; the dolls continue, however, to be adorned with traditional dress, and this has provided a valuable record of changes in these traditions over time. Some dolls are … [Read more...] about Mesoamerican Dolls: Researched by Ngozi Ekeke