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Headdresses

Among the indigenous peoples of sub-Saharan Africa, headdresses have long been worn as a sign of cultural identity and social status.

Imbued with symbolism, they are an art form unto themselves, differing widely from culture to culture.

During royal court affairs, Bamileke tribal chiefs and dignitaries in the Cameroonian Kingdoms wear a spectacular headdress known as the Tyn, or Juju hat. Woven onto a raffia base, its long feathers splay out into huge circles, making the Juju hat a piece of impactful wall art. 

The highly individualized hats of the Lega People from Congo on the other hand, are completely different. Small, precious and conical in shape, with an emphasis on a central decorative protrusion sometimes incorporating a bird’s beak, Lega hats are densely decorated with shells, buttons and other artifacts, covering a woven raffia base.

The “Botolo” or chief’s hat, from the Ekonda People, also in Congo, are highly idiosyncratic raffia hats, built up into a pagoda-like tower of successively smaller hats, stacked on top of each other. Despite their deep roots in tribal tradition, these hats resemble a surrealist sculpture: a hat, upon a hat, upon a hat, upon a hat, until one imagines reaching the sky. The large polished metal disks that are often attached to the overall structure only add to the impact of these magical objects.

Botolo Hat, Ekonda People, Congo

Botolo Hat, Ekonda People, Congo
16 x 8 x 8 ″ Hand woven and molded from raffia, with natural pigments
Botolo Hat, Ekonda People, Congo

Botolo Hat, Ekonda People, Congo
17.5 x 8 x 8 ″ Hand woven and molded from raffia, with natural pigments
Botolo Hat with Disk, Ekonda People, Congo

Botolo Hat with Disk, Ekonda People, Congo
16 x 7.5 x 7.5 ″ Hand woven and molded from raffia and metal, with brass disk
Botolo Hat with Disk, Ekonda People, Congo

Botolo Hat with Disk, Ekonda People, Congo
15.5 x 7 x 7 ″ Hand woven and molded from raffia, with brass disk
Botolo Hat with Disk, Ekonda People, Congo

Botolo Hat with Disk, Ekonda People, Congo
14 x 8 x 5 ″ Hand woven and molded from raffia and metal, with brass disk
Botolo Hat with Disk, Ekonda People, Congo

Botolo Hat with Disk, Ekonda People, Congo
13 x 7.5 x 7.5 ″ Hand woven and molded from raffia, with brass disk
Botolo Hat with Disk, Ekonda People, Congo

Botolo Hat with Disk, Ekonda People, Congo
15 x 7 x 6 ″ Hand woven and molded from raffia and metal, with brass disk
Botolo Hat, Ekonda People, Congo

Botolo Hat, Ekonda People, Congo
15.5 x 9 x 9 ″ Hand woven and molded from raffia, with natural pigments.
Botolo Hat with Disk, Ekonda People, Congo

Botolo Hat with Disk, Ekonda People, Congo
16 x 8 x 8 ″ Hand woven and molded from raffia and metal, with brass disk
Botolo Hat with Silver Ornament, Ekonda People, Congo

Botolo Hat with Silver Ornament, Ekonda People, Congo
10 x 8.5 x 8.5 ″ Hand woven and molded from raffia, with metal ornament.
Botolo Hat, Ekonda People, Congo

Botolo Hat, Ekonda People, Congo
12.5 x 7.5 x 7.5 ″ Hand woven and molded from raffia and metal, with disc of brass (or copper).
Botolo Hat with Disk, Ekonda People, Congo

Botolo Hat with Disk, Ekonda People, Congo
14 x 7 x 7 ″ Hand woven and molded from raffia and metal, with brass disk
Botolo Hat, Ekonda People, Congo

Botolo Hat, Ekonda People, Congo
15 x 8 x 8 ″ Hand woven and molded from raffia, with natural pigments
{{onsale}}
Botolo Hat, Ekonda People, Congo

Botolo Hat, Ekonda People, Congo
15.5 x 8 x 8 ″ Hand woven and molded from raffia, with natural pigments Sold

Royal Feather Hat, aka "juju hat" or "tyn", Bamileke People, Cameroon
18 x 36 x 36 ″ Hand tied chicken or guinea bird feathers $555.00

Royal Feather Hat, aka "juju hat" or "tyn", Bamileke People, Cameroon
18 x 36 x 36 ″ Hand tied chicken or guinea bird feathers

Royal Feather Hat (aka "juju hat" or "tyn"; Bamileke People, Cameroon)
18 x 36 x 36 ″ Hand tied from feathers of chicken (or guinea bird) $555.00

Royal Feather Hat, aka "juju hat" or "tyn", Bamileke People, Cameroon
18 x 36 x 36 ″ Hand tied chicken or guinea bird feathers $569.00

Royal Feather Hat, aka "juju hat" or "tyn", Bamileke People, Cameroon
18 x 37 x 37 ″ Hand tied chicken or guinea bird feathers $559.00

Royal Feather Hat, aka "juju hat" or "tyn", Bamileke People, Cameroon
16 x 29 x 29 ″ Hand tied chicken or guinea bird feathers $245.99

Royal Feather Hat, aka "juju hat" or "tyn", Bamileke People, Cameroon
18 x 36 x 36 ″ Hand tied chicken or guinea bird feathers $555.00

Royal Feather Hat, aka "juju hat" or "tyn", Bamileke People, Cameroon
18 x 36 x 36 ″ Hand tied from chicken or guinea bird feathers $569.00

Royal Feather Hat, aka "juju hat" or "tyn", Bamileke People, Cameroon
18 x 36 x 36 ″ Hand tied chicken or guinea bird feathers $555.00

Royal Feather Hat, aka "juju hat" or "tyn", Bamileke People, Cameroon
18 x 36 x 36 ″ Hand tied chicken or guinea bird feathers $555.00
{{onsale}}
Bwami Society Hat  (Lega People, Congo)

Bwami Society Hat (Lega People, Congo)
9 x 7.5 x 7.5 ″ Hand woven using pangolin scales, bird beak, oyster shells, fish scales, and dress buttons. Sold
{{onsale}}

Royal Feather Hat, aka "juju hat" or "tyn", Bamileke People, Cameroon
16 x 29 x 29 ″ Hand tied chicken or guinea bird feathers Sold
Bwami Society Hat  (Lega People, Congo)

Bwami Society Hat (Lega People, Congo)
13.5 x 6.5 x 6.5 ″ Hand woven and molded from: rafia, oyster shells, glass beads and vinifera fibers.
Bwami Society Hat  (Lega People, Congo)

Bwami Society Hat (Lega People, Congo)
13.5 x 7.5 x 7.5 ″ Hand woven from raffia, using cowry shells, dress buttons and an elephant tail topknot
Bwami Society Hat (Lega People, Congo)

Bwami Society Hat (Lega People, Congo)
8 x 6.5 x 6.5 ″ Hand woven from raffia, using antique dress buttons and glass beads
{{onsale}}
Bwami Society Hat  (Lega People, Congo)

Bwami Society Hat (Lega People, Congo)
12 x 7.5 x 7.5 ″ Hand woven from raffia, using cowrie shells, dress buttons and hornbill beak Sold
Bwami Society Hat  (Lega People, Congo)

Bwami Society Hat (Lega People, Congo)
8 x 7 x 7 ″ Hand woven from raffia and oyster shells, with elephant tail topknot
Bwami Society Hat  (Lega People, Congo)

Bwami Society Hat (Lega People, Congo)
9 x 7 x 7 ″ Hand woven from raffia, using antique dress buttons and an elephant tail topknot

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