Dance Hat
20th century
Bamileke Cameroon Coastal West Africa
Cameroon
The representation of braids on this dance hat were used to invoke spirtitual powers and medicine to heal, honor, and protect those who attended and participated in special ceremonies. Hair and hairstyles are valued in cultures throughout the Cameroon Grassfields region, not only for their aesthetics but also as extensions of the human body that allow the wearer to transcend the material world. (after Koloss 2000)
Wool, rattan, and human hair