Vintage Flat Hopi Katsina Ornament by V. Myron

If I were inclined to be naughty rather than nice this holiday season, I'd keep this flat Hopi katsina ornament for myself!

It's a vintage piece handmade by a carver who signed V. Myron on the back. This type of flat katsina has a long tradition at Hopi. They're carved to be simple, painted plaques. The traditional flat katsinas are made to each children the identities and characteristics of the different katsinam or spiritual beings.

I'll never forget my first time at Hopi when a carver explained that the flat cottonwood root carvings were even given to infants as early teaching tools and little babies would teethe on them.

This boldly colored katsina ornament is not meant to teethe on! It was created as a piece of art, and you can hang it from your Christmas tree like Martha Struever did, or you can simple display it year round. It's a wonderful design. 

Martha's holiday katsina ornament measures 3 7/8" x 2" and is signed on the reverse.