Headdress
The feathers of this ceremonial headdress come from the Scarlet Macaw and the toucan. These feathers have been inserted into a basketry crown. Feathers remain a valued commodity; the bird of origin and the feather colours relate to their mythology e.g. red for blood.
Dr Hubert Carlton Whitlock’s family are connected to Demerara through the De Kinderen plantation his father purchased as a joint owner with Walter Urquhart in 1830. Whitlock was a curator at the Georgetown museum in Guyana.
Accession reg: uses the noun ‘arok’ to describe this headdress. However, in the Akawaio and Arekuna languages, arok means hat.
Dr Hubert Carlton Whitlock’s family are connected to Demerara through the De Kinderen plantation his father purchased as a joint owner with Walter Urquhart in 1830. Whitlock was a curator at the Georgetown museum in Guyana.
Accession reg: uses the noun ‘arok’ to describe this headdress. However, in the Akawaio and Arekuna languages, arok means hat.
Object Summary
- Accession Loan No.
- E969
- Collection Class
- Clothing and accessories
- Collection Area Region
- South America
- Material
- macaw and toucan feathers | cane | vegetable fibre | vegetable fibre |
- Common Name
- headdress
- Simple Name
- headdress
- Production Town
- Production County
- Demerara
- Production Country
- Guyana; Brazil
- Production Person Initials
- Production Person Surname
- Production Year Low
- Production Year High
