Kevin Pochoema
Early Morning
8" H
with 3/4" base
The Early Morning Kachina
(Talavai) is also noted as the Silent Kachina, even though it
sings. It appears in pairs in the village, singing songs from
the rooftops, waking people in the early morning. During the
Bean Dance and other ceremonies it dances with other Kachinas
and stands to one side of the procession. Occasionally they sing
as they stand holding their spruce tree and ringing their bell.
The most distinguishing characteristic
of the Talavai Kachina is the Spruce tree he carries in his left
hand. He wears a blue case mask with rectangular black eyes.
He has red tab ears with small shell earrings. Cloud symbols
are on his cheeks and he has a red tubular mouth. He also wears
a Douglas Fir ruff and a large fan of black tipped feathers across
the top of the mask.
At the back of his mask is
a large grouping of small turkey feathers. Draped over his shoulders
is a ceremonial maiden's blanket, worn as a robe. He wears a
white embroidered kilt, embroidered sash and red embroidered
belt. There is a long fox skin hanging in back. He carries a
silver bell in his right hand and there is a Kato (bow guard)
on his left wrist and he wears red moccasins with ceremonial
ankle cuffs.
This kachina was carved by
Kevin Pochoema, who is dedicated to perfection and maintaining
the traditional Hopi culture through his Kachinas. Kevin is recognized
as one of the great Kachina doll carvers of his time. He is in
his late 30s and has been seriously carving since he was 15.
His family is from the village of Paaqavi (Bacavi).
By the time he was 26, Kevin
was winning major awards at the Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial
and O'Odham Tash Festival. He rarely enters his dolls for judging,
as they are immediately purchased by serious collectors.
Kevin has an incredible ability
to transform his dolls, it's almost as if the spectators are
watching the Kachinas themselves. Kevin says: "I want to
make my dolls flow...I like to show scenes that relate to the
Kachina doll I'm carving." Kevin achieves this through natural
looking movement and costuming. He is a master at elaborate detail
and superior finish, which sets his work apart from other carvers.
Kevin is an expert at the
use of oil-based paints and pigments. The allows him to create
subtle variations and concentrations of color to enhance the
very strong sense of reality. It takes much experimentation to
get his color palette just right.
Kevin has carved this figure
out of a single piece of cottonwood root. The items in his hands,
and feathers on the head are the only additions.
Even his bases are highly
detailed. Kevin usually depicts his figures atop a village setting.
This one features an elaborate gathering of kachinas in miniature.
Every detail can be accounted for. What an incredible accent
to this fantastic carving!
According to "Art of
the Hopi" "Detailed carvings in the bases of Kevin's
wood sculptures often relate to the ceremony in which the Kachinas
appear".
Kevin Pochoema is featured
on the cover of Art of the Hopi by Lois & Jerry Jacka
and on page 67. He is also well represented in Kent McManis new
book Hopi Katsina Dolls on many pages throughout the book.
In it, Kevin states: "I keep trying to improve so I won't
carve 'just another doll'."
Kevin is from Hotevilla, Arizona
and has signed the doll: "Pochoema" on top of the base.
