Eugene Dallas
Nataska /
Black Ogre
16" H
with 2" base
"The fearsome Nataska
always come as a pair. They accompany the Soyoko on their collection
trip and usually stand directly behind the member of the crew
who is bargaining with the relatives of the children.
"They make horrible noises,
dragging their saws [and knives, or whatever it may be] along
the side of the house or on the ground. All the while, they keep
up a steady stamping that makes the turtle-shell rattles on their
legs sound ominously.
"They are supposed to
be able to eat a child whole; from the very earliest age, the
child has heard stories of these monsters - how they would descend
on children playing near the village and haul them away to cook
and eat. So it is no wonder that the children are petrified at
their actual appearance!
"Usually only dark colored
clothes are put on this kachina pair, who should have horns.
The feather fan is made of turkey feathers which are placed close
together to form a large mass behind the head that makes the
figures appear much taller and broader."
- Barton Wright, Kachinas: a Hopi
Artists Documentary (78)
Eugene began carving kachinas
full-time as an adult. He has developed a distinctive style that
features rich colors and shading on his figures.
His attention to detail is
shown not only in his exquisite carving, but also in the costume
and accouterments of the kachina. He has said that the Kachinas
reflect his Hopi heritage in two ways; first from the way that
they appear and also with their associated meanings.
Eugene feels that the Hopi
people are an intrinsically artistic culture. He typically signs
his kachinas on the bottom with crossed feathered arrows. Eugene
has a large extended family of carvers, including his brothers
Leon and Reginald Dallas.
