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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Taupou, post: 10252052, member: 45&quot;]I can give you some information about Mudheads, also known to the Hopi, as Koyemsi, or the Mudhead Clown.&nbsp; Some Hopi will even insist they are not actual kachinas, although they are an important part of the culture, and appear in most Kachina Dances.</p><p><br /></p><p>According to that belief, since Mudheads are the incestuous offspring of their father and his sister, they can never be kachinas.&nbsp; So the Hopi and Zuni classify them as &quot;Clowns,&quot; whose role is performing lesser duties associated with kachina ceremonies, such as drumming, acting as announcer, awarding prizes and gifts (as this one is apparently doing), and generally interacting with the audience.&nbsp; But because Koyemshi knew how to bring rain, others call him a kachina.&nbsp; He is often considered neither human, nor kachina, but occupying a position, and connection, between the two. </p><p><br /></p><p>They are always dressed in black, with a brown mask with brown clay-covered balls, which are placed to represent human-like facial features.&nbsp; Bodies are painted with a reddish clay.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>Because they are relatively simple in form, and &quot;different&quot; from other kachinas in their look, they are one of the most-popular of kachina dolls to make for sale.&nbsp; And because the Navajo (who don&#039;t have kachinas in their own religion or culture) have been making &quot;copies&quot; or complete &quot;fantasy&quot; figures only since the latter part of the 20th century, and this carving is accurate, but the arms appear to be carved separately (but not attached the way Zuni ones would be), I would suspect this is either Hopi, or made by a non-Indian.&nbsp; Since they weren&#039;t commonly signed then, there really is no way of telling, except by dating when it was carved, the style, and accuracy.&nbsp; I also think it appears to be mid-20th century, before so many copies were made, so it looks like Hopi, to me.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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