Headdress Item Number: Ac225 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Cylindrical-shaped headdress with basketry support (triaxil interlacing) and large, flared, upper rim; has entirely beaded surface sewn on cloth-covered support. Horizontal bands of white triangles on black. One wide row of white zig-zag. Two single rows of red beading. Rows of white and black at rim. Small opening at basket top stuffed and covered by cloth which is wrapped into stiff support for hollow, beaded cone, inverted, projecting from top, with stiff black hair wisk, hide wrapped and sewn on wood stick projecting up from cone's centre. Wisk's base, wire wrapped. Cone's flared rim has four beaded straps, two with black and white stripes, the others with white triangle pattern and red beaded edge, attaching cone with flared top rim of cylinder. Two attached, looped, beaded straps, one at each side at ear area, one in black and white, the other in red and white. One has dangling bead string. One base side has short, bead-wrapped cloth projection.
History Of Use
Worn by Chief Muachanue; removable brush on top served as a fly whisk. Within Chokwe culture, headdresses are typically worn by patriarchal authorities. Chiefs would wear loop-winged headdresses, men would wear flat ones for dances and festivals, and warriors would wear ones adorned with cock feathers to symbolize their virility. The winged loops on this headdress are characteristic of headdresses for patriarchal chiefs.
Cultural Context
Status
Narrative
The collector, Nellie Taylor, served as a nursing missionary (1900-1920), first with the Ovimbundu at Bihe, then with the Chokwe at luma Kasai. She belonged to a group who sponsored several missions across Central Africa from 1881-1931.
Item History
- Made in Luma Kasai, Angola before 1920
- Collected between 1900 and 1920
- Owned by Nellie Taylor and Chief Muachanue
- Owned by Gladys G. Cameron before January 12, 1979
- Received from Gladys G. Cameron (Donor) on January 12, 1979
What
Who
- Culture
- Chokwe
- Previous Owner
- Nellie Taylor, Chief Muachanue and Gladys G. Cameron
- Received from
- Gladys G. Cameron (Donor)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Luma Kasai, Angola
When
- Creation Date
- before 1920
- Collection Date
- between 1900 and 1920
- Ownership Date
- before January 12, 1979
- Acquisition Date
- on January 12, 1979
Other
- Item Classes
- beadwork
- Condition
- fair
- Accession Number
- 0509/0001