Eugene Dallas
Chasing Star
10 1/2"
H with 1 1/2" base
The Chasing Star (Na-ngasohu),
or Planet Kachina, is a handsome figure with the enormous fan
of eagle plumes behind the head and the simple but effective
design of the face.
Usually he appears in pairs
in the Bean Dance procession, the Palolokongti, or a Mixed Dance,
carrying a bell in his right hand. His particular function is
unknown.
Eugene began carving kachinas
full-time as an adult. He has developed a distinctive style that
features rich colors and shading on his figures.
His attention to detail is
shown not only in his exquisite carving, but also in the costume
and accouterments of the kachina. He has said that the Kachinas
reflect his Hopi heritage in two ways; first from the way that
they appear and also with their associated meanings.
Eugene feels that the Hopi
people are an intrinsically artistic culture. He typically signs
his kachinas on the bottom with crossed feathered arrows. Eugene
has a large extended family of carvers, including his brothers
Leon and Reginald Dallas.