Jeff James
Mong / Old
Man
14" total
height
"The Wuwuyomo are spoken
of as 'old men kachinas' beacuse they are so ancient. They may
also be called Mong Kachina or Chief Kachinas; in fact on Third
Mesa this is the only name by which they are now known. They
always appear in groups of four with the Pachavu Manas in the
extended form of the Powamu Ceremony on Third Mesa.
"There they lead the
manas into the village. An important part of this ritual is pausing
along the processional route to sing songs that are important
to the growth of the crops in the coming year.
"The Wuwuyomo also appear
in the procession in the Palölökong or Water Serpent
Ceremony and afterwards as a group in one of the kivas where
they sing. Formerly on First Mesa they appeared with the Sio
Salako, but this has changed through the years; and apparently
they no longer come with this Zuni-inspired group.
"Wuwuyomo is characterized
by the Soyal pahos on the head and the scapulae in the right
hand and the lack of tinklers on the long stockings."
- Barton Wright, Kachinas: a Hopi
Artist's Documentary (55)
The early traditional style
Kachinas have bodies that are carved to approximate human proportions.
For example, the arms are usually at right angles and are pressed
against the body. A static kilt and sash resemble the lower part
of the body and the legs are usually short. The head however,
is carved and painted correctly to identify each specific Kachina.
These dolls exhibits a pronounced spirituality because of their
strong stylization and abstractness.
