Naga Hat

Fine Rattan, Goat Hair & Boar Tusk Warrior’s Hat

This Naga man’s hat has a fine patina and clear age. It is of conical form and made from woven un-dyed cane base over which is fixed a mat of thin, red-dyed cane interspersed with the dried yellow skin of the orchid plant to create geometric patterns. Curved tusks of a wild boar have been attached to either side. The bases of these are embellished with woven cane which itself has an excellent, deep patina. A plume of red-dyed goat’s hair is attached to a curved bamboo sliver that has been covered in finely plaited cane strips.

Hats such as these were not part of the everyday dress of a Naga man. They were worn on festive occasions along with copious jewellery and other body decorations.

The Naga people comprise a range of related tribes that inhabit the north-eastern India and north-western Burma. The form of this hat suggests it is from the Hemi Naga of western Burma.

This hat is in excellent condition with no obvious losses. Importantly, its age is very clear.

Jacobs, J., The Nagas: Hill Peoples of Northeast India, Thames & Hudson, 1990.

Saul, J.D.,

The Naga of Burma: Their Festivals, Customs and Way of Life, Orchid Press, 2005.

UK art market; the hat most probably has been in the UK since the colonial era.