Kachinas originate from the religious and spiritual beliefs of the Pueblo Indians, in particular the Hopi and the Zuni.
Kachinas are spirits, often of animals, who carry the prayers of the people. During Kachina ceremonies and dances,
the men who wear the masks and dress of these spirits are also called Kachinas because it is believed that they become the spirits of the Kachina.
Kachina ceremonies take place during the first half of the Hopi religious calendar from winter solstice to mid-July.
There are five major ceremonies, lasting nine days each. Most of these ceremonies and dances are held in the underground Kivas where only the initiated may see them.

In recent years many Native Americans, including the Navajo, have embraced the creation of Kachina figurines.
There are more than 250 different kachinas, each with its own separate attributes, representing everything from animals to abstract concepts.
Kachina Dolls are models of the Kachinas and represent their likeness and traits. The dolls are gifts given to children and families in hope of
future abundance and health as well as tools for education. The Kachina dolls of today's art market are a bridge not only between the spiritual
world and mortals but also between Hopis and non-Hopis. The Hopi were the original Kachina doll carvers, using a single piece of cottonwood root.
Their traditions were not isolated and soon the Navajo began carving in their own creative way, adding leather, feathers, fur, beads, and turquoise.
Each year Kachinas come, they walk upon the earth and they dance to bring life and renewal, distribute gifts to the children, and reinforce the connection
between the spirit world and the people. When the Kachinas return to the spirit world at the end of the planting, they return with the prayers of the
Hopi that we might all continue on this earth for another round in the circle of life.