Zuni People

Artists of Western New Mexico

The Zuni People lived in what is now western New Mexico. They believe their ancestors emerged from the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

The Zuni lived in pueblo villages. A pueblo is like a town. Buildings in New Mexico pueblos are usually made of mud and stone.

Each family grew corn, squash and beans. Corn was very important to the survival of the Zuni.

The Zuni were known for the calm and tranquil way of life. Men did the farming, hunting and silversmithing. The women would dry the corn, weave baskets and make pottery.

The Zuni people focused on celebrating the rituals that guaranteed health for all living things and abundant crops. They did this through Kachinas.

A Kachina is a spirit that represented things in Nature and life. A Kachina could be shown by men wearing masks and dancing or as a doll.

Each Kachina, or spirit, has its own special dress, color and face mask. There are over 200 Kachina spirits.

Title: KachinaDate: 19th CenturyMedium: Wood, paints, feathers, yarn, cornhair and clothSize: 10” tallLocated: Brooklyn Museum, New York

Corn Dance – This kachina would be used in May during the planting season to ensure a good crop of corn at harvest

The right hand is holding a rattle to scare away bad spirits. The left hand is holding a bag of ground corn.

Spirit of the Kachinas

We will be creating a kahina in the Zuni style. You need to think of a special meaning for your kachina. An example may be a kachina that brings good luck on a test or a creative kachina carrying artists’ tools.