Hat

Item number A3724 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

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Description

Dome-shaped, double-woven, cedar bark basketry hat. The top is slightly indented with plaiting in the centre. The plaiting is outlined with double strand twining, after which the warps are split and the twining becomes much finer. The rim, at the top, is outlined with one row of triple strand twining. Triple strand twining is also used along the bottom rim, above which is two rows of double strand twining and then another of triple strand. The rest of the hat is double strand twining. The hat is decorated with three rings of grass wefts, each ring being three rows wide, and alternating purple and the natural yellow colour. The hat is lined with cedar bark that is plaited at the top, and then twined using two strands. The hat band is both twined and plaited.

History Of Use

Dome-shaped double woven hats, like this one, were worn as rain gear. A hat band inside the hat was used to fit the hat to the crown of the head, and to keep the sides of the hat away from the wearer's head - thereby creating an effective rain barrier.

Specific Techniques

Two strand twining was the predominant method used for this hat. In two strand twining one weft (horizontal strand) passes over a warp (vertical strand) and under the next, while the a second strand passes under and then over the next warp. In this manner the wefts are always in opposition to each other. Three strand twining is also used minimally on the exterior. The hat is double woven, which means that an inner and outer hat were woven and attached at their rims. The hat band was both twined and plaited.

Narrative

Dome-shaped rain hats were made along the Southern Coast of British Columbia and in adjacent areas of Washington State. They are associated with both the Nuu-chah-nulth and Coast Salish people. These types of hats are often double woven, which means that the inside of the hat may appear quite different in colour and appearance from the outside. This hat is very similar in appearance to two Nuu-chah-nulth hats in the collections of the Royal British Columbia Museum (11447 and 4659). The former (11447) is identical in style and use of colour, which suggests that they may have been made by the same person.