Peruvian Kaxinawá snake skin headdress adorned with feathers, Job's tears, and monkey teeth.
Title
Peruvian Kaxinawá snake skin headdress adorned with feathers, Job's tears, and monkey teeth.
Alternative Title
Dunu Bichi Maiti (snake skin headdress) or Bichi Maiti (snake headdress)
Subject
headdress, Kaxinawá, Kensinger, Peru
Description
A headdress consisting of a circle of snakeskin decorated with blue, yellow, red, brown, and white feathers. Around the bottom of this snakeskin band is a cotton thread with small monkey teeth and eight hanging objects attached. These hanging objects consist of arrow cane adorned with toucan and macaw feathers and job's tears (Coix lacryma jobi).
Notes on accession card:
"Killing a snake is a ritual only undergone as a desperation measure after a poor hunting season. This act should result in increased hunting skill.
After skinning or touching a snake, a man must fast for one month (a limited diet)."
length- 27.4 cm width- 7 cm
Notes on accession card:
"Killing a snake is a ritual only undergone as a desperation measure after a poor hunting season. This act should result in increased hunting skill.
After skinning or touching a snake, a man must fast for one month (a limited diet)."
length- 27.4 cm width- 7 cm
Creator
Kaxinawá, Rio Curanja, Diuns-Betsa
Date Created
c. 20th century
Contributor
Kenneth Kensinger
Type
ritual, accessory
Publisher
Temple University Anthropology Lab
Identifier
1966-1-44
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Files
Collection
Citation
Kaxinawá, Rio Curanja, Diuns-Betsa, “Peruvian Kaxinawá snake skin headdress adorned with feathers, Job's tears, and monkey teeth.,” Anthropology Laboratory and Museum, accessed April 28, 2024, http://gamma.library.temple.edu/anthropologylab/items/show/116.