The Niman Katsina presents a striking figure among the sacred Hopi supernatural beings. He frequently appears at the Home Dance, a ceremony that occurs in mid-summer, marking the departure of the katsinam to their home in the San Francisco Peaks. He wears the elaborate tableta painted with phallic and cloud symbols that identifies the Niman. Here he is depicted carrying in his left hand a bow with arrows, two small katsinas and a painted wood disc representing a basketry placque with eagle motif. These are gifts distributed to young Hopi children by the Niman Katsina when he appears at the Bean Dance in early spring.

Willard Sakiestewa, an accomplished katsina doll-maker from the village of Kykotsmovi on the Hopi reservation, was probably the carver of this figure. Sakiestewa, who lived nearly one hundred years ago, was known to produce some of the very large katsina carvings that were popular for a short period after World War II.