Santa Fe Unlimited | Santa Fe A to Z: A Glossary of Terms, Definitions and Descriptions of Everything Santa Fe

Kachina (or Katsina)
Often called "Kachina Dolls" these Hopi artworks are stylized religious icons, meticulously carved from cottonwood root and painted to represent figures from Hopi mythology. While many other tribes have figure-carving traditions, the Kachina is unique to the Hopi. Kachinas are widely seen and sold in both the Santa Fe and Taos areas. (~Aimee)

Kiva
Traditionally, a round, underground room used for Southwest Pueblo Indian religious rituals. As cultural changes occurred, kivas became far more elaborate, sometimes containing as many as 90 rooms. They were sometimes built above ground, some were square or keyhole shaped, and some had tower rooms. (~Aimee)

Kiva Fireplace
A warming kiva fireplace in a Taos home.

A warming kiva fireplace in a Taos home.

A dome or beehive shaped fireplace made of adobe bricks covered with plaster. The kiva fireplace has an arched opening, and is often built into the corner of a living room, bedroom, or kitchen. They are also found on some outdoor patios. This style of fireplace is commonly found in the authentic adobe-style homes in Santa Fe and Taos. (~Aimee)

Kokopelli
A kachina found in the mythology of the Southwest Pueblo Indians, Kokopelli plays the part of a fertility god, a trickster, and a hunter. Kokopelli petroglyphs are among the most ancient to survive in Southwest rock art. Also a very popular figure on painted pottery, Kokopelli is depicted as a round-backed figure playing the flute, sometimes carrying a bag on his back, sometimes with antennae resembling an insect, and sometimes with a phallus. (~Aimee)

Pictured top to bottom:
1} Hopi Kachina Dancer; 2} Kiva style fireplaces are common in Southwestern adobe homes