preview

Coyote Clan Kachina Doll Analysis

Good Essays

The sculptures Seated Couple, Vision of Lady Xoc, and Coyote Clan Kachina Doll, each represent three distinct ancient cultures: the Dogon people of 18th and 19th century Mali, the Mayan culture between 681 and 725 B.C.E, and the Zuni Pueblo Native American culture during the 19th century. Each of these carved sculptures symbolizes truths universal to the human condition. The Seated Couple symbolizes the universal family unit. The Vision of Lady Xoc symbolizes blood sacrifice for venerated ancestors and preparation of warriors for battle. The Coyote Clan Kachina Doll symbolizes the power of troublesome spirits.
Figure 1 is an image of the sculpture the Seated Couple produced by the Dogon peoples, dated between 18th to the early19th century …show more content…

The Dogon used a distinctive style of sculpture used in rituals, typically that were made of softwood and freestanding figures were made in a cylindrical style. ("African Art") The Seated Couple has iron embellishments on the hair, ears, and wrists of the figures. Iron is historically worn or placed next to the dead during Dogon funerals so this work was most likely displayed during funerals or was created to honor ancestors. ("Figure: Seated Couple") The iconography of the Mayan Vision of Lady Xoc lintel is unique in that it depicts Lady Xoc performing ritual sacrifices, not a typical image of women in ancient Mayan art. “Though few became rulers in their own right, women held positions of substance and power as wives and mothers of kings. By the seventh and eighth centuries women had risen to a public role, commanding wealth and prestige.” (Kerr) According to Patty of Kachina House, the positioning of the Coyote Clan Kachina Doll arms and that the arms are pinned on, not carved out of the same piece of wood as the body indicate that this is a Zuni piece and not a later piece done by the Hopi. (Kachina …show more content…

The Seated Couple the cylindrical and mostly symmetrical figures not only depict the attributes of the Dogon family life, but also the pairing of male and female spirits in Dogon mythology and the sexual duality that Dogon’s see as a spiritual component of every individual. (Ezra) The Vision of Lady Xoc is a portion of the monument to Lady Xoc depicting her power and importance in Yaxchilán society. “The shedding of royal blood was an act of supreme sacrifice to gain the gods’ favor and thus perpetuate the cycle of human life.” (Kerr) Kachina dolls are used as a teaching device for children to cement the tribal stories learned in the oral tradition of their tribes. The dolls and the kachina masks worn at festivals are a reminder to the people of all that each Kachina represents.
Gender Roles are a significant theme in each of these sculptures. The Seated Couple depicts, men and women working together as a unit, Dogon attitudes toward marriage as a partnership of independent equals. This balanced duality is also a central tenet of Dogon mythology. ("Figure: Seated Couple") The Vision of Xoc shows that in royal Maya courts, women filled important civic and religious roles denied to most women in many Mesoamerican cultures. (Martin and Grube) The Zuni prized those who were good at both traditional male and female roles and those who produce the crafts of both genders.

Get Access