Clark Tenakhongva
Cactus
16 1/2"
total height
The Cactus kachina, or Yung'a,
derives its name from the Spanish word for prickly pear, tuna.
According to Barton Wright, however, "there is just as much
reason to believe that this word, yung'a, is an old Hopi word.
"As a kachina, he appeared
just prior to the turn of the century and was personated only
a few times on First Mesa. He has been perpetuated more through
the use of dolls rather than in dances.
"His function on Third
Mesa was to insure the cleaning of springs, but on First Mesa
he seems to have appeared primarily in the Soyohim.
-Barton Wright, Kachinas: a Hopi
Artist's Documentary (146)
Clark Tenakhongva was born
in 1956 and comes from a long line of accomplished Hopi carvers.
Clark, along with other young carvers have rekindled the traditional
style of Hopi doll carving, like their Grandparents who were
actively carving in the early 1900's. These dolls closely resemble
those dolls made at the turn of the century.
The early traditional style
Kachinas have bodies that are carved to approximate human proportions.
For example, the arms are usually at right angles and are pressed
against the body. A static kilt and sash resemble the lower part
of the body and the legs are usually short. The head however,
is carved and painted correctly to identify each specific Kachina.
These dolls exhibits a pronounced spirituality because of their
strong stylization and abstractness. For Clark, his Kachina carving
is less of an art form and more of a religious act.
Clark's natural paints are
very unique. They are thick and textured. He does not use a sealant,
but uses a substance called 'tuuma' which makes the pigment very
difficult to rub off. He gets his pigments from all over the
southwest and he uses natural pigments of plant dyes and minerals.
Clark first started carving
Kachinas when he was 13 years old. He carved the 'old-style'
or what he refers to as the traditional style dolls that he used
to decorate his house.
When a trader from Second
Mesa first saw these dolls hanging on the walls of Clark's home,
he suggested that Clark should start selling these dolls. So,
in 1994, Clark started carving the traditional dolls full time
and the first show he entered was at the Santa Fe Indian Market.
