Lega Ceremonial Hat

In the forests of Democratic Republic of the Congo art is created primarily for semisecret associations of men and women, such as the Bwami society of the Lega peoples. The teachings of Bwami permeate all aspects of life, guiding the moral development of the individual and governing relations with others. 
 
Such hats would only have been worn by initiates to Kindi, the highest level of Bwami. Elephant tail hair and cowrie shells traditionally crowned and topped the hat. European-made buttons and plastic strings began to replace these elements as prestige items on Bwami accessories as the Western presence grew in eastern Congo in the early twentieth century.
 
Tribe:
Lega, Democratic Republic of Congo
 
plant fiber, plastic
16 x 16 x 16 cm
sold without stand