Minneapolis Institute of Art

Woman's Hat

Zulu artist

Date

20th century

Medium

Raffia, hair, pigment

Culture

Zulu

Department

Arts of Global Africa

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

In the early nineteenth century, married Zulu women commonly styled their hair by shaving their heads to leave only a cone-shaped topknot at the crown and coloring it red. A wide circular headdress, known as isicholo, replaced this hairstyle in the late nineteenth century. In many areas, Zulu women continue to wear it as a sign of their married status at special events and ceremonies. The isicholo is constructed using a basketry frame, which is covered with string or yarn to produce the dense texture. The hat is then dyed with a mixture of ochre and fat. A century ago, these hats were made with grass fibers and human hair. South Africa, Africa

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