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Description

Headdress of vibrantly coloured macaw, toucan and parrot feathers. Long bright blue feathers topped by shorter light green, red and yellow feathers create a brim at front of headdress, above which stands a tall crown of the same that splays slightly to the sides when worn. To the back of the headband are attached several strands of different lengths, made of fibre threaded with small white glass beads. Intermittently down each strand are attached small groupings of feathers in various sizes, held at their quills by short lengths of palm tubes. Some strands include elongated dark brown seeds. This creates a long, dense fall of feathers down the back of the wearer.

History Of Use

Feather headdresses are a major element of ritual regalia, used during the healing ceremonies of the Kamentsa shamans, as well as for their Carnival ceremony (in which an ancient renewal ritual was adapted onto the Christian calendar event).