A Zuni Kachina Doll. USA ca. late 19th century.The Zuni kachina depicting ‘Shakalo’ wearing

A Zuni Kachina Doll. USA ca. late 19th century.The Zuni kachina depicting ‘Shakalo’ wearing native attire made of trade cloth, feathers and other natural fibres, bead necklace and headdress-like adornment. Provenance: From a British private collection. Condition: Good overall, some age related wear. The Zuni have a religious solar calendar which is practiced year-round. The Zuni Kachina Cult is one of the six major cults of Zuni. There are a number of kachinas that represent space and time in the Zuni religion. One of the most famous and widely known ceremonies is the Shakalo Ceremony. There are a number of other ceremonies and rites; some are public, however, many of them are kept in secret. It is hard to specify the total number of kachinas in the Zuni religion because the Zuni do not believe in using or exploiting their kachinas for open public economic gain and believe they should be kept in private. It is believed that some of the older kachina rites are no longer practiced but there are new ones that have been introduced. In addition, it is believed that there are hundreds of different kachina rites that are practiced in the Zuni religion. The Zuni Kachina Cult is not constant, it changes to space and time. The Zuni believe that the kachinas live in the Lake of the Dead, a mythical lake which is reached through Listening Spring Lake. This is located at the junction of the Zuni River and the Little Colorado River. 39.5cm tall. Good overall, with age related losses.