Chuchkut or Clown Kachinas provide comedy and entertainment for the villagers during the ceremonies as well as comedic examples of improper or undesired social behavior. Koyemsi the Mud Head Clown is the most popular of the Hopi clowns.
Clown may carry painted gourd rattles and small drums, others may carry food which they both eat and throw at villagers and spectators. Clown kachina impersonators may wisecrack and poke fun at everyone regardless of social standing without fear of reprisal.
Clowns can be multi-faceted, clowning in one situation or ceremony and serious or singing in the same or another ceremony. The Koshari clown, for instance, is considered both sacred and profane in Hopi mythology. He creates chaos in ceremonies by acting out and engaging in such improper behavior as making loud and boisterous conversation or pigging out with food, and disrupting important rituals.
The Guard or Tuwalakum Kachinas responsibility is to keep the clowns behavior in check. Frequently at the end of the ceremonies the Guard kachinas may beat the clowns and drench them with water as the clowns promise to behave better in the future.
Kachina types may cross match into one or more group since many kachinas are multi-faceted with numerous responsbilities and roles.
Print and trace the designs onto multi-color fun craft foam sheets to create pliable and colorful soft face masks. Use left over trimmings of foam pieces to cut and paste intricate designs and shapes onto the mask.
For best results print on heavy duty vellum paper or card stock. All paper mask designs are printable on regular or heavy duty 8 1/2" x 11" paper. Print landscape mode for larger masks, portrait setting for smaller masks.
