Sosoyohim Kachinum or Insect and Reptile Kachinas hold a variety of roles in the Hopi religious culture. For instance, the spirit of the butterfly is commonly personified in Hopi kachina figures, sewn into clothing or weaved into baskets or painted onto pottery.
Insect kachinas have specific roles and appear at certain times during the year perhaps to coincide with the natural cycle of the insect. Momo the Bee kachina, which prays for bountiful populations of bees and spring flowers, appears during the winter and summer dances.
Sivuftotovi or dragonflies are associated with water, springtime, fertility and rebirth and are also racer or runner kachinas. Hopi have included several butterflies into the kachina family:
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.
Lepidoptera in the Mythology of Native Americans
