The Hopi believe they are the first inhabitants of North America. Oraibi, their village, is the oldest continuously occupied settlement in the United States. Oraibi and other villages were built among the 600 foot high rocky mesas in the desert plains of the four corners area of New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah. They divide their villages into three separate mesas. The First Mesa is comprised of the villages of Hano, Sichomovi, and Walpi. Second Mesa is Mishongnovi, Shipaulovi, and Shongopovi. Third Mesa is Hotevilla, Bakavi and Oraibi. The Hopi Reservation is almost four thousand square miles of arid and inhospitable desert land. Even though the People must walk several miles to maintain their little patches of crops and the women must climb the steep cliffs burdened with jars of water, this is their homeland - the desert heartland of North America.

The prehistoric ancestors of the modern day Hopi, the Anasazi, used Kachinas in their spiritual ceremonies. Kachinas were an important part of the Hopi way of life and continue to be so to the present day. From the simple form of painted images on pottery and on the walls of ancient kivas, some figures with little or no body form, to the modeled and free form dolls of today, the Kachina is a sacred symbol of legends, myths and tradition, usually in a spiritual content. The word Kachina is widely used by most people, however, the Hopi prefer the word Katsina, from the Second Mesa language dialect.

In Hopi belief, the Katsina spirits (or katsinam), live in the midst of the People for about six months of each year, appearing in December, around the time of Winter Solstice, increasing their number during the ceremonial season of February and in July return to their spirit world. The ceremonial season, Powamuya, is symbolic of the last stages of the creation of the world. It is during this time when the katsina spirits are called upon for growth and maturity of the People and all humans. These spirits are an extremely important and meaningful part of the beneficial relationship the Hopi find invaluable to their religious beliefs.

The dolls that are carved by experienced crafters are meant to be the personification of the katsinam in their human form. These beautifully carved and decorated dolls first appear during the sacred ceremonies in February in the bean dance season. They are given as valuable gifts to children whom have shown appropriate behavior; a gift to the matriarch of each Hopi home, with a bundle of bean sprouts (ritually manifested by the katsinam) to represent an abundance of crops for the coming season is an honored ritual; they may be presented to young women as an award for virtuous behaviour; or publicly recognize special persons such as the brides who will be presented at the Niman (or Home Dance) ceremony in July.

July, Niman, is the time the Katsinam return to their mountain top homes - it is the time to say farewell to the masked dancers and to also recognize the ripening of the crops. Katsina dolls are gifted to little girls as part of the rituals. Corn meal is tossed to the dancers along with prayers and thanks for the sacred ceremonial dancing performed.

These rituals and ceremonies go way back to the time of the ancestors when Katsinas were first discovered, over 1000 years ago, and is still a daily part of the religious beliefs and way of life of the Hopi.

In the beginning there were only two: Tawa, the Sun God, and Spider Woman, the Earth Goddess. All the mysteries and power in the Above belonged to Tawa, while Spider Woman controlled the magic of the Below. In the Underworld, abode of the Gods, they dwelt and they were All. There was neither man nor woman, bird nor beast, no living thing until these Two willed it to be.
From a Hopi Creation Legend
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