African Headdresses

The materials, styles and uses differ from tribe to tribe, some quite simply made from a beaded skull cap type hat with very little adornment to really elaborate over adorned cane framed headdresses. A huge number of materials can be used to adorn headdress from, cowrie shells, feathers, raffia, animal horns, pieces of metal, cloth and animal skin/fir. Many headdresses convey the message of power and strength and are danced in the very same way. Within some tribes of Africa it will only be the men who will be permitted to wear the headdresses for many have secret societies so women are not allowed.  Indeed there are some tribal traditions that will only permit the Chief, King or a person of nobility to wear certain headdresses due to the fact the headdresses themselves represent not just power but power and wealth.

There are many different styles and types, plain or elaborate, of headdress that may be worn in the African world, from tribe to tribe, as many if not, as many reasons that there may be to wear and celebrate them.