Kachina Dolls: A Sociological Case Study of Material and Non-Material Culture

Barbara Prillaman

In this unit, high school students will answer the questions: What is culture?, What are the components of culture (material and non-material)?, How does it relate to my life? What are some examples of the components of material and non-material culture from my life?, How is a Kachina a representation of the material and non-material components of culture of the Hopi Indians?, How are Kachinas an example of persistence of native cultures and their resistance in the face of attempts to erase their identities as native people? Focusing on the Hopi Kachinas as a case study, students will meet local community college’s learning target of Discuss culture – both material and nonmaterial – and cultural diversity. In doing so, using the Hopi Kachinas as a case study, students will read different texts (historical and tales) and view videos of artists working. In doing so, students will be able to distinguish the material component of the art of making of the dolls and non-material component of the meaning behind not only the dolls but the concept of Kachinas – the origin, history, and significance of them for the Hopi. Additionally, they will be able to apply these terms and ideas to their own lives.