1970.78.10.12 (Headdress)

1970.78.10.12 (Headdress) image

This headdress has a band of yellow macaw wing feathers that fan out to create a three quarter crown around the band. Some of the feathers have shades of brown and black present on them as well. There is a second tier of trumpeter bird breast feathers that are black and a third tier of macaw body feathers that yellow and red, all of which are cut to be the same length. The vine is covered in the front by a woven pattern that is blue and white. The back of the headdress shows that the feathers were attached to a loose string of cotton from the woven pattern covering the vine by bending the barb and tying them in place. They are held to the vine by white cotton string that has been covered in "bui"- a native mixture made of wild rubber, chicle, and beeswax. This allows the feathers to be flexible and move with the wearer and fold down upon themselves. There is a thin, white cotton string that runs from the beginning of the fan of feathers on the proper left (if looking from the front) through the middle of the yellow macaw feathers and ends at the last feathers on the proper right. This allows the feathers to move in unison. The featherless base of the band is wrapped in the same white cotton string that forms the pattern covering the second and third tiers of feathers.

Crafting headdresses is a male craft among the Cashinahuans. Though women do know about the art, when interviewed around men they pretend to be ignorant. This headdress is classified among the Cashinahuans as "pei maiti kuin" which titles it as a "real wing feather" headdress ("maiti" translates to "headdress", "pei" translates to "wing", and "kuin" to "real"). These types of headdress are further classified depending on their flexibility. This headdress is considered "babui" or "flexible". It is designed so that the feathers form a floppy brim instead of standing straight out.

Pei maiti kuin are crafted by men, often for their sons, for ceremonial events. Such events include "kacha nawa" (fertility ceremonies), "nishpu pi" (initiation rites), and "chidin" (the headman's ceremony).

All Images of This Object

1970.78.10.12 (Headdress) image
1970.78.10.12 (Headdress) image
1970.78.10.12 (Headdress) image
1970.78.10.12 (Headdress) image
1970.78.10.12 (Headdress) image