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Dance Hat (Juju)

A work made of wool, rattan, and human hair.

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  • A work made of wool, rattan, and human hair.

Date:

20th century

Artist:

Bamileke
Cameroon
Coastal West Africa

About this artwork

Hats and helmets that imitate traditional hairstyles are common across parts of Africa, and some items of headwear also incorporate real human hair into their material construction. In the case of this helmet headdress, hair has been inserted into the six long coils (or “braids”), adding to its power and potency—and by extension that of its wearer—during dances and performances. This piece would have been worn during ceremonies relating to juju, the complex of medicine, music, and dance at the center of Grassfields’s secret societies, which have long played an important role in the northwestern and western regions of Cameroon.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Arts of Africa

Culture

Bamileke

Title

Dance Hat (Juju)

Place

Cameroon (Object made in)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1901–1999

Medium

Wool, rattan, and human hair

Dimensions

55.9 × 27.9 cm (22 × 11 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Donald Young and Shirley Weese Young

Reference Number

2015.309

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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