| Description |
Blue-faced Ösök’china or Cactus Katsina; Three-dimensional carved figure in standing position; The mask is turquoise with round, protruding eyes and a snout painted black and red with white teeth; Red ears protrude from the sides of the mask; A green cactus design is painted on each cheek; There is a band of turquoise and dark blue stripes around the top of the forehead; The top of the head is painted white and there are three dark green cactus pads with red flowers protruding from it; on the back of the head, visible behind the cactus pads, is what appears to be a long, thin carved red and blue feather framed by two thicker white, grey, and black feathers; At the back of the head near the neck is a cluster of carved white and black feathers; The back of the mask is painted a light reddish-brown; The figure wears a thick green ruff made of yarn; He also wears a white kilt with a red, green, and black design and a white dance sash with an intricate red, green, black, blue, and white design; Leather straps are strung across each shoulder, crossing over the torso; A grey, black, and white carved fox fur hangs from the waist in the back; There are two red spots painted near the top of the fur; The body is tan with the hands and knees, neck, and torso just above the kilt painted white; There are a set of two brown lines on either side of the figures torso and back, and on each side of the knees; There is a brown double-lined “X†marking on each of the forearms and outer calves and brown markings on each of the hands; He wears a black yarn tie around each knee and on the right wrist; he wears a turquoise band on each upper arm; On his left arm, he wears a bracelet with a black band and white and turquoise design; In his left hand he carries a bundle of green branches and in his right he carries a brown rattle; He is wearing turquoise moccasins with white soles and red designs; His right heel is slightly raised and he stands on an unpainted, circular wooden base; Signed “Ösök’china Cactus Kachina Joe Gash†on bottom. |
