Circles of Life: Katsina Imagery On Hopi Wicker Basketry

While Hopi people are well known for their skill and artistry in creating ceramics, jewelry, and most especially, katsina dolls, little attention has been paid to Hopi wicker basketry, and even less to the use of katsina imagery on this medium. As authors Judith and Andrew Finger note, "Hopi wicker basketry plaques can be appreciated on many levels. Viewers can admire them as works of art and marvel at their makers' talents. They can identify a katsina image and glimpse the integral part katsinam play in Hopi life. They can understand these plaques' importance in sustaining Hopi traditions and the role they have played in Hopi and non-Hopi relations. We hope that readers of this book will take away a sense of the Hopi people's rich culture and history while enjoying these works of beauty."