Featured here is an exemplary specimen of the genre of authentic old head
wear
from the Naga tribes that villages that are still deep "in the
bush" so to speak. Beginning collectors tend to gravitate
towards the bright red colored hats of the Konyak, Kalyo-Kengyu,
Chang and etc. Indeed those are nice and can occasionally
be quite spectacular. But often they are just festival
attire and not the most accurate example of what the most
traditional and culturally pristine Nagas wore or indeed
sometimes still wear. On the other hand, seasoned collectors
recognize that some of the oldest and culturally quintessential
hats are the darker, often smallish and skin or feathered
covered pieces from villages deep in the Naga interior that have seen the least contact.
As someone who visits the Naga areas frequently I consider these
kinds of hats fundamental and the most deeply indicative of
"roots" Naga culture. Now these are not to be confused
with the superficially similar hats with (unfortunately) fresh
pelts that seem to be popping up with disturbing frequency in
Myanmar and Thai bazaars. Caveat emptor... don't be
dazzled by fresh pelts and drawn into buying a modern poaching
trophy with no real cultural context or indigenous use.
