Headdress

1942

The use of feathers as a mosaic pattern on for instance wood, in clothing or as a fan, headdress etc., is a very old craft among the Indians of the Americas. After the arrival of the Europeans this form gradually disappeared and only in areas where there was little contact with the whites this way of adorning continued to exist. Especially in the difficult to access Amazon region in South America, the Indians continued to use feathers in adornment for their ceremonies. The Jivaro people along the Macuma River in Ecuador wore the headdress shown here made of various types of macaw feathers. These were attached to a headdress braided from fibers. A braided band was used to fasten the headdress around the chin. Two strands of shiny green beetle feathers, ending in a tuft of yellow and red feathers with a tuft of black hair, are attached to the headdress. In the European museum world, this is a very rare piece.‖ English text:‖ The application of feathers in a mosaic pattern to e.g., wood, clothing, fans, or headdresses, is an ancient form of skilled craft among the Indians throughout the Americas. The art gradually disappeared after the arrival of the Europeans, only persisting in regions where there was little contact with the white man. One of these areas was the inaccessible Amazon region in South America, and there the Indians continued to use feathers in decorations for their ceremonies. The Jivaros along the river Macuma in Ecuador wore the type of headdress shown here, which is made of several kinds of ara feathers attached to a cap made of plaited fibres and held in place by a plaited band under the chin. Two strings of shiny green beetle carapaces hang from the cap, both ending in a tuft of yellow and red feathers and black hair. This headdress is an extremely rare item in the European museum world.