Arizona 2008 Official State Visitor's Guide - (Page 30) History & Heritage in Phoenix and started carving.” Polequaptewa found quick success for his katsina dolls. “I sold some of my first dolls to the Heard Museum’s gift shop.” In April 2006, Polequaptewa was the featured artist at the Heard’s Katsina Doll Marketplace, a great venue to visit with carvers at work. The artist splits his time between Phoenix, where I’m lunching with him, and Sipaulovi, where he is organizing a children’s song group. Polequaptewa has also released one album of traditional music and is working on a second. “They say there are over 300 katsinas, ” says Polequaptewa. The first doll a Hopi child receives is the “happy grandmother. ” This doll is painted with natural pigments, as are other traditional katsinas. Polequaptewa says that the baby learns to talk and speak the Hopi language quickly when he or she plays with the grandmother doll. Katsinas also manifest certain spirits, such as plants, animals and birds, and are used to teach proper behavior and watch over people. And some of the spirits they manifest help Hopis by bringing precious rain to nurture their crops and sustain the people. “We try not to disrespect the katsinas,” says Polequaptewa, who like his fellow Hopi artisans is careful to protect aspects of Hopi spirituality. Native Arts Hopi Cultural Center, Second Mesa Hubbell Trading Post, Ganado Museum of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort, Gila River Indian Community Tohono O’odham Cultural Center and Museum, Topawa WHAT IT HAS Museum, arts and crafts shop, inn and restaurant. Other attractions are within easy driving distance. Artists in residence, owner’s cabin tours, a general store and great prices on rugs, jewelry and other art. Navajo and Hopi Festivals of Arts and Culture, held each summer, feature performances, artist demonstrations and market. Gift shop features local Native artists; Gila River Artists’ Market is held here. Storytelling and artists’ demonstrations offered in winter. Museum, cultural center and new home of TOCA’s retail store. FIND OUT MORE (928) 734-2401 hopiculturalcenter.com (928) 755-3475 nps.gov/hutr (928) 774-5213 musnaz.org (602) 225-0100 wildhorsepassresort.com (520) 383-0201 30 • Hubbell Trading Post, Ganado ©AOT A r i z o n A o f f i c i A l S tAt e V i S i t o r ’ S G u i d e Ceiling Mural ©Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort http://hopiculturalcenter.com http://nps.gov/hutr http://musnaz.org http://wildhorsepassresort.com
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