Msinga Headdress
mid 20th century
Resembling a target, this circle filled with texture is actually a hat once worn by a Zulu woman in South Africa. This example, normally tilted at an angle by the wearer, uses a simple circle in the middle as a signature element. Called isicholo, the hat is created from a basketry base to which grass, false and real hair are added. Fat is mixed with powdered deep red ochre and applied to coat the hair, leaving a porous textured surface. After taxi drivers complained that the ochre dyes left stains on their cars, a new style was born: multicolored scarves are now added to update the hats with current fashion and protect cars from red smearing.
Grass, bast fiber, human hair, fat, and ochre
Diameter: 18 1/2in. (47cm)
Gift of Dr. Oliver E. and Pamela F. Cobb
2003.64