Headband Item Number: Ie343 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

A headband, with a marquise shape, of several layers of beaten bark, on the outer surface of which have been sewn yellow-white nassa shells entirely covering the band except for a lozenge of exposed bark 1 cm. wide at the centre of the band. The pattern is a lozenge of eleven rows of shells around this centre. Nearly perpendicular to each side are twenty-five parallel rows of shells. There is another lozenge pattern at each end of the band and a double row of shells around the edge. Fragments of bark twine remain at each end.

History Of Use

Headband is worn by men for self-decoration around the head and forehead partially covering the front of their large hair wigs. Such a band would primarily have been worn by men of leadership status. Headband metaphorically represents wealth objects, and also human males.

Cultural Context

self-decoration