Product Description
This hand-carved and painted Sipikne Kachina is by Hopi artist, David Jensen. This Kachina took David about a year to carve as he holds down a job as well. The motion and the carving of this Katsina show great mastery and skill.
David Jensen is a very fine carver. David began carving in 1993. He learned the skill of Kachina carving from his Uncle, master Kachina carver, Cecil Calnimptewa.
“The Sipikne is a Zuni Kachina often danced by the Hopi. His Zuni name is Salimopaiyakya but among the Hopis he may be called Sipikne or Talaimochovi. He dances in a very active manner bounding about and raising his knees much higher than the usual kachina. The dance is so demanding that only young men usually take this personation. He may appear in the Night Dances, the Bean Dance, a Mixed Dance, or in any other dance where it is felt that he would be appropriate. Sipikne may appear in several different colors but black or yellow seems to be the most favored. He very often functions as a guard to keep people back from certain other kachinas.” (Barton Wright)
