"Masau'u (Skeleton Kachina)
is the only kachina who does not go home at the Niman Ceremony
and thus may dance at any time of the year. The organization
of the dance is very much like that of the Niman with the Masau'u
dancing in one line and the Masau'u Mana in the other.
"In addition the Skeleton
Kachina may appear during the Pachavu as a pair, with the Wawash
Kachina as a racer, or after a regular kachina dance in the plaza.
As he is a Death Kachina he does many things by opposites, for
the world of the Dead is the reverse of this world.
"Thus he may come down
a ladder backward or perform many other common actions in reverse.
In addition the standard Masau'u dance often has antic episodes
during the performance. Occasionally he may appear as a pair
of Masau'u behaving erratically, singing or growling a bit, beating
on the kiva hatchways with the willow switches, or dancing around
the fires at the cooking pits and even through the fires.
"The many colored splotches
on the mask are alluded to as clouds even though the actual face
is that of a skull surmounted by Soyal prayer feathers."
- Barton Wright, Kachinas: a Hopi
Artist's Documentary (254)
Paul hails from Third Mesa
- the village of Hotevilla. He is a young carver at only 34 years
old, but has been carving since he was only 7 years old. Born
in Ganado, Arizona - he is of the Roadrunner and Greasewood clans
of Hopi.
He credits his uncles with
teaching him the kachina carving art. His favorite designs include
animals, morning kachinas, and maiden kachinas.
"This is a talent that
I have been fortunate to be taught by my uncles when I was very
young. Doll carving was a way to support myself with things that
I wanted when I was a child all the way to my adult life. This
has always been a means of supporting my family and myself.
"I enjoy carving because
every piece I create has a little piece of myself in it. Each
piece of cottonwood has a specific art form in it. When I start
carving the kachina, working within the wood, it will come right
out and show itself, but if I try to go against what is within
the wood, it takes longer and things don't usually work out the
way you want.
"I enjoy teaching my
carving talent to people who are serious about learning and who
are willing to make something out of being able to learn. My
carvings mean a lot to me. I don't make them just to make them.
I always think about how my carvings are and where they live
and how they are being taken care of.
"I am very grateful to
my uncles Bill & Willard Sewemaenewa for always pushing and
encouraging me to learn this art."
- taken from Paul's own autobiographical
statement
