Juju Bamileke Feather Hat Headdress Cameroon Africa SALE WAS $295

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Juju Bamileke Feather Hat Headdress Cameroon Africa SALE WAS $295:
$99.00

TitleJuju Bamileke Feather Hat Headdress Yellow Cameroon AfricanType of ObjectHat/headdressCountry of vegetal fibers, cotton, stringsApproximate Age20th centuryDimensionsDiameter is 30 inches when openOverall ConditionVery good. Most ofÂ our pieces have spent decades on at least two continents, and have been treasured by several owners. Â Small splits, scrapes and cracks are a normal part of their patina attesting to their age and extensive use.Â We examine each piece carefully when we receive it and report any damage we find in our listings.Â Please look carefully at the pictures which may also reveal condition and damage.

Picture is an example. Yours will be very similar.

Additional Information: The Bamileke are among the artistic elite of the Cameroon Grasslands area. They are ruled by kings, and many of their masks are for royal festivities.

This special headdress is made of bird feathers and has its own built-in self storage capacity, as the entire headdress can be turned inside out, with the feathers protected by inverted fiber cap. When not in use, the hat can be stored in this manner, protecting all but the tips of the feathers from deterioration (See pictures). This type of headdress is not limited to the Bamileke; it has long been used among the Tikar, Babanki etc. The feathers come from the type of birds widespread in the region and the most symbolic ones in the context of these cultures. They use dried feathers they put together in sewing them. They build the base with vegetable fibers.

Feathers headdresses are worn by the King (Fon) and also by other members of the palace during festivals. The most spectacular moment where the dancers wear this type of hat is during the dance of the Kuosi society, also called the elephant society. This prestigious society is lead by the members of the kingship. They are the most indicating to wear this prestigious hat also. For this hat with other form of ceremonial costume demonstrate the power and prestige of the chiefdom.

Dear customers, I want to warn you on these....anything with feathers needs to be periodically frozen. They are subject to little insects which like to eat them! We freeze them, and they arrive \"pest free,\" but do wrap in plastic, freeze for 5 days, leave out 2 days, and freeze for another five days periodically or any time you see signs of activity!

FOR MORE INFORMATION :

See Arnoldi and Kreamer, CROWNING ACHIEVEMENTS AFRICAN ARTS OF DRESSING THE HEAD. p. 113.

See dancers of Kuosi Society wearing this kind of hat in Michel Huet THE DANCES OF AFRICA, p. 144

I have examined this piece and agree with the description.

Niangi Batulukisi, PhD.

**69113**

All content, including pictures, Copyright Africa Direct Inc., 2006

Add Us To Your Favorite Sellers!
Please visit our About Us page.

Africa Direct, Inc. has been selling on since 1997 and has received more than 45,000 positive responses. It is owned by Eliza and Sara, who began the company after spending a year wandering southern Africa in a camper van with their multi-racial family. They have been honored with \'s Hall of Fame award, and by Giving Works, through which they have raised more than $100,000 in charity sales.

Customer Service: We treasure our many long term customers, and will try to make you one of them! If you have problems, please tell us... we care!

Handling Time: We ship daily except Sundays and holidays. Most orders go out the same day, and all go out within 48 hours.

Returns: We want you to be happy with your purchase. You\'re welcome to return an item within seven days in the same condition you received it--just let us know you\'re returning it. You may have either a credit or a refund for your purchase price, not including shipping both ways. If your original payment was made through PayPal, we\'ll refund you through PayPal; if you paid us directly with your credit card, we\'ll refund the credit card.

Combining Shipping: You are welcome to wait to pay, and to combine multiple items for shipping. We ask that you keep each order to ten days or ten items, whichever comes first--then start another order.

When you\'re ready, just send us a list of item numbers and we\'ll send you an invoice. You can pay by Paypal or credit card.

U.S. Shipping: We use a professional shipper who has worked with us for ten years. He and his staff take great care in packing our artwork, much of which is antique, irregularly-shaped, and fragile. The cost of his labor and the special packing materials he uses is reflected in our handling price. Our U.S. shipping charges also include insurance; we self-insure on smaller orders. For these reasons, our shipping and handling charges may be more than the price of postage.

International Shipping: We ship dozens of international orders each week, to customers on every continent except Antarctica! The shipping charges included in our listings are for U.S. orders. Contact us for shipping charges to your country. We offer uninsured USPS First Class airmail, insured Priority airmail, and insured Express airmail to most parts of the world, depending on the weight, volume, and value of an item. We also ship via FedEx or DHL on request.

Import duties, taxes, and charges are NOT INCLUDED in the item price or shipping charges. These charges are the buyer\'s responsibility. Please check with your country\'s customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to offerding / buying. These charges are normally collected by the delivering freight (shipping) company or when you pick the item up -- do not confuse them for additional shipping charges. And please do not ask us to mark merchandise values below value or mark items as \"gifts\"--U.S. and International government regulations prohibit such behavior.

Newsletter, previews and special offers: Sign up for our newsletter

Go to Africa Direct Store