Wedding Hat Item Number: 1538/2 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Conical light yellow-brown woven hat with red and black painted designs; a band of red and black colour rings the top of the hat, an eagle-like bird's head is featured on one side, and a black band of colour along the bottom edge. The design is of an eagle and copper.
History Of Use
Wedding hat; likely from either Kingcome Inlet or Gilford Island. In an interview with Sampson Robertson in April 1992, he said: "The hat is a kind not used now. It was used when people married in the old way, in the bighouse. It was worn by a bride. There were many different ways of having wedding ceremonies. One was that ladies sat on a raft and hats like that were on top of the raft and the men had a game saying that whoever got the hat would get her. They would run up the raft and put the hat on the lady--chiefs' daughters. Whoever did that could marry her for real, not just a game. Another was that a lady would have a hat on and would dance and they would use a hook to try to catch her. Whoever caught her could marry her. The men danced around her and tried to get her. Or the hat would be tied somewhere high up with cedar bark and the men would have to jump high to try to get it. If they did they got the woman. There might be two or three marriages at one potlatch." He said he only witnessed these types of marriage potlatches when he was young.
Cultural Context
wedding ceremonies
Iconographic Meaning
Design is of eagle and copper.
Narrative
Fanny Wamiss Henry said she didn't know about the history or past ownership of the hat, other than it being called a wedding hat.
Item History
- Made in British Columbia, Canada
- Owned by Fanny Wamiss Henry before June 15, 1992
- Received from Fanny Wamiss Henry (Seller) and Museum of Anthropology Shop Volunteers (Funding source) on June 15, 1992
What
- Name
- Wedding Hat
- Identification Number
- 1538/2
- Type of Item
- hat
- Material
- spruce root and paint
- Overall
- height 21.0 cm, diameter 35.0 cm
Who
- Culture
- Kwakwaka'wakw
- Previous Owner
- Fanny Wamiss Henry
- Received from
- Fanny Wamiss Henry (Seller) and Museum of Anthropology Shop Volunteers (Funding source)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- British Columbia, Canada
When
- Ownership Date
- before June 15, 1992
- Acquisition Date
- on June 15, 1992
Other
- Item Classes
- basketry
- Condition
- good
- Accession Number
- 1538/0002