Kachina Bolo

This kachina style bolo tie was first "invented" by Helen Long, a Navajo, during the early 1970s.  Whenever one sees a kachina bolo such as this you can bet the idea originated from Helen's earlier work. The irony of this is that Helen was a Navajo creating a design that came from the Hopi culture.  There has always been copying of design elements from culture to culture throughout the Southwest.  Today the Hopis of Northern Arizona copy the "man-in-the-maize" design in their jewelry from traditional Tohono O'odham (Papago) Indians living in Southern Arizona. (JH)