Local Name

Tihu

Physical Description

This wooden figure is a tihu (Kachina Doll) , a representation of a Katsina. His face is painted in coloured blocks of green, yellow and reddish brown outlined in black. The eyes are rectangular and framed by a thick black fringe; the chin is white. The arms are bent lying against the torso which is painted reddish brown with a thick yellow band around the shoulders. He wears a white kilt with black trim and long hair hangs down his back while feathers adorn the crown of the head.

Significance

Tumae (White Chin Katsina) is one of the oldest Hopi Katsinam and has not been seen in performances for some time. When he does perform he does so in a group. His long hair indicates that he is responsible for bringing rain. He is identified by his namesake, white chin, which derives from the white kaolin clay that is found in "Hopitutskwa" - the traditional homelands of the Hopi people.

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