Kaya – American Girl

Kaya, 1764

Shop for: Kaya Dolls

Kaya® lives in the Pacific Northwest; she was born in 1755.  Kaya (pronounced KY-yah) is a Native American girl of the Nez Perce tribe. Kaya’s full name is Kaya’aton’my, or “she who arranges rocks.” Her story takes place in America’s Northwest in the state of Idaho in 1764, before white settlers disturbed the Native American way of life in the west.

Kaya was introduced in 2002. American Girl worked closely with the Nez Perce Native Americans to create her. She is the only doll that does not smile with her mouth open, as baring one’s teeth is considered offensive to Nez Perce people. Kaya is the oldest doll in the AG timeline but the third most recently introduced historical doll. She has dark skin; deep brown eyes; and dark brown, almost black, braided hair. No other doll shares her face mold. Her collection and books do not follow the trends established by previous dolls ( for example, there is no Happy Birthday Kaya, or Kaya Learns a Lesson, like with the other girls), and instead more accurately reflect the cycle of life in tribal society. American Girl notes that most of the animal-related products in her collection are simulated unless it is otherwise noted. There are many Nez Perce words and phrases in her books, and a glossary is included. The words are spelled phonetically to ease in pronunciation.

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