Hat Date Unknown

This hat was carefully constructed by an artist from the Kuba Kingdom in central Africa. Its core is woven, covered with raffia cloth, and then embellished with shells and glass beads. The raffia cloth is an interesting starting point. It would have required careful cultivation of the palm, and then hours of labor to weave, dye, and prepare for application. The glass beads, on the other hand, testify to long-distance trade networks; they were imported into the region. The shells may have been too, or perhaps they were foraged locally. Finally, note the combination of geometric and organic patterns. The blue and white beads create triangles and diagonals, in contrast to the shells, which are arranged in a more intuitive way. The overall effect is one of restrained opulence. This isn't just a hat; it's a statement of social and economic status, made through considerable labor. It shows us that the Kuba people were deeply embedded in the global economy, and also masters of their local resources.