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kachina definition

☆ ka·china (kə c̸hē′nə)

noun pl. kachinas -·nas or kachina -·na

  1. Pueblo Folklore a beneficent spirit, either a minor deity or the spirit of an ancestor
    1. a male dancer impersonating such a spirit
    2. the mask worn by the dancer
  3. a small wooden doll representing the spirit

Etymology: Hopi ḳacína < Keresan: cf. Santa Ana Keresan kâ·cina

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