Artist:Henry SheltonPueblo, Hopi
Medium: Cottonwood root, acrylic pigment, feathers, yarn, beads
Geograhical Locations:
Dates:1960–1970
Dimensions: 19 x 10 x 5 1/2 in. (48.3 x 25.4 x 14 cm)
Collections:
Accession Number: 2010.6.6
Image: CUR.2010.6.6.jpg,
Catalogue Description: Butterfly Girl (Palhikmana) Kachina. This Kachina has a body carved from one piece of cottonwood root. She wears a large, rayed headdress painted brilliantly with blue, yellow and red stripes and black dots that indicate pollen on the front. The back of the headdress is red with a cluster of feathers on the back of her head and three braided yarns, one each, red, green, white hanging down the back. She stands on both feet and raises her PR arm holding two feathers in each hand. Her clothing is also all carved. She wears a blue dress with darker blue apron with red and green bands on the bottom and a red sash with a broken diamond pattern. She has a short white shawl with red edges around her PL shoulder. Butterfly Girl appears during Angk'wa (night dances). It is a series of colorful dances usually performed with four pairs of maidens and male partners (all kachinas portrayed by males). The Angk'wa is sponsored by a kiva to promote all life-growth.