kachina
Kachina, also spelled Katsina or Katcina, are the spirits of the dead, or intermediaries between the human world and the spirit world, in the religious beliefs of the Pueblo peoples of the Southwestern United States. These spirits are central to the cosmology and ceremonies of the Hopi, Zuni, and other Pueblo tribes. Kachinas are believed to inhabit the San Francisco Peaks and other sacred mountains.
During specific times of the year, typically from winter solstice to summer solstice, kachinas are said to
Dolls carved in the likeness of kachinas are also significant. These dolls, known as kachina dolls or