Native American Dolls
Native American dolls are popular among the young children of the Native American Indians much like they are among children nowadays. Back then the American Indians did not have the resources we do now but they would make these dolls for the children out of resources in their environments such as cornhusks, fibers and even pine needles, and there were also some dolls that were made of wood or leather.
The dolls would usually be decorated with designs or dressed in small clothing similar to the tribal wear. Many of these types of Native American dolls were made out of these perishable materials so as the Indian child grew up the dolls would deteriorate. These were most popular among the Native American little girls much like they are today. There were also many Native American dolls that were much more important to some tribes, especially the well known tribe of the Hopi Indians. The Hopi Indians had a sculpture that some would consider a doll but in all reality is an intricate religious sculpture.
The Hopi Indian tribe carved Native American dolls called Kachina dolls which were carved out of wood and were representations of the many different gods that the American Indians worshipped. The artists that create these important and cherished Native American dolls dedicate their whole lives to the craftsmanship of these pieces of art and they were not dolls that the young Native American children would play with. These dolls were and always have been exclusively by the Hopi Indian tribe and if they are not then they are not true Native American Kachina dolls. In order to obtain an authentic Hopi Indian Kachina doll you can expect to be paying a pretty large price since these take time to carve and as said before they are a very sacred Native American craft. In order for an artist to be able to carve these Native American figurines it takes years of practice and religious studies. These sculptures are quite beautiful and well worth the price if you understand the true meaning and appreciate the true artistry and time that goes into the carving process.