Bamileke Royal Hat Fingerlings Black White Red Cameroon Sidley Collection

A beautifully designed cotton hat with fingerlings. In the Cameroon Grasslands region hats are made in a wide variety of media such as vegetable fiber, cotton, and feathers, and in different shapes. This one is made with cotton threads using the "crochet" technique. Hats are part of prestigious regalia in the Cameroon grasslands. They are worn by men during special ceremonies. It is unimaginable to see a notable in an outfit without his hat. Rather than a simple accessory that could be an indication of the owner's social rank and status. These sculptural hats are sometimes represented on carved figures. This hat is in good condition.

The Grasslands is dominated today by three large cultures: the Bamun, Bamileke, and the Bamenda Tikar. Each village is led by a primary chief, or "Fon." All people in the area are expected to pay allegiance to this leader. Each Fon is selected by his predecessor, based on the dominant lineage within that community. The Fon is served by a council of elders, who advise him on all important decisions and who also play an important role in the selection of the next Fon. Most chiefs serve for a lifetime, abdicating the throne only when near death. Complex societies also help to structure the community, and Fon oversees these as well. Most large sculpture from this area is produced for the Fon, not only to honor him but for his personal use and display.

Provenance: Niña Sidley Collection

After a long career in publishing, Niña Sidley returned to her first love: collecting the art, artifacts, and textiles of the world’s indigenous peoples. Part of her mission has been to educate others and to honor the extraordinary creativity, ingenuity, and heartfelt messages these handmade works send from their makers. Niña believes this deep respect for tradition and beauty inspires and ties all of us together as one world.

STAND NOT INCLUDED

We do not recommend laundering textiles and do not accept returns of textiles that have been laundered in any manner. Even dry cleaning is too much for some of these antique textiles. For some of them, a very gentle HAND washing (NEVER MACHINE, on any setting) in cool water with a very gentle detergent works, but even then, dyes may not be colorfast, and fabric may be less strong than it appears.

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