Hopi Early Morning Coil Basket

Coiled baskets are an essential component of traditional Hopi culture and are considered essential to the Hopi carrying on their traditional way of life. Hopi baskets have many social and ceremonial functions. For example, certain women's dances require each dancer to have a basket to participate, and many of the katsina ceremonies use traditional baskets. This particular basket, circa 1980s, depicts an Early Morning Katsina (Talavai ) which represents early morning or dawn, because he appears at the break of day during the Bean Dance (Powamuya). The Katsina announces news and sings to wake the village, while passing out bean sprouts.