"This Kachina may also
be referred to as Mosairu Mana. This is simply the Buffalo Maiden
Kachina who accompanies the Buffalo Kachina at dances in which
that Kachina appears.
"The tablet on her back
is a sun symbol surrounded by turkey feathers. She will carry
notched prayer sticks in both hands. Kachinas having lives, like
other Hopis, may have manas, such as wives, mothers and sisters,
who accompany them.
"Shungopavi, Second
Mesa: This Kachina appears only at First and Third Mesas
and does not appear at Second Mesa. She will use eagle tail feathers
rather than turkey tail feathers on her back's tablita."
- Ricks, J. Brent, et al., Kachinas:
Spirit Beings of the Hopi (140)
Lean Monongye is a young carver,
probably in his early thirties, from Third Mesa. He is the younger
brother of Von Monongye, a world-class and highly celebrated
carver in years past.
His work is very distinct,
and he is well known for his smooth finish and fine detail. Generally
Lean tries to incorporate additional details into the base of
each doll. Although ocassionally he leaves them plain to bring
out the detail of the carving itself.
He is one of our personal
favorites, and I have yet to see a kachina by Lean that I wouldn't
like to have in my own collection. I feel that his work is upper-middle
tier and still represents a good value as an artist with a lot
of potential.
