Brian Honyouti
Palhik Mana
12" total
height
The Palhik Mana, or Butterfly
Maiden, is one of the most popular kachinas in the Hopi carvers'
repertoire. This beautifully dressed figure is not really a kachina,
but rather a woman's dance personage.
Women who appear in the Mamzrau
Initiation Dance are called the Palhik' Manas. They are never
masked except on Third Mesa, although they all appear to be when
carved as dolls. The carvings typically include an elaborate
tableta including butterfly and corn symbols.
This kachina was carved by
Brian Honyouti, one of three famous Hopi brothers, who often
carve together. The Honyoutis, Loren, Brian and Ronald, are originally
from Bacavi, Arizona on the Hopi reservation. The Honyoutis are
featured in many books on Hopi carving including, "Kachina
Dolls" by Helga Tiewes and "The Art of the Hopi"
by Jerry and Lois Jacka.
In Helga's book, Brian is
written about extensively. The Honyoutis are considered forerunners
in the art of realistic carvings and are in a class of their
own.
Brian was born in 1947 in
the village of Hotevilla, Arizona on the Hopi reservation. He
started carving Kachinas in the mid 1960's, and learned his carving
techniques from his father, who taught him how to make one-piece
carvings. He began using oil paints in 1978, and he is universally
credited with being the first carver to use wood preservatives
and varnish as a sealer, instead of the usual white undercoat.
Brian was also the first carver
to substitute wood preservatives instead of paint, leaving the
flesh areas unpainted and using the natural wood colors. He rarely
uses Dremel tools and wood burners, preferring to do all of his
carving with pocket knives, chisels, hack-saw blades and small
files.
He has signed the doll on
the back of the base: "BH"
