Royal Man’s Headdress (Primary Title)
Kupash (Translation)

Unknown (Artist)

19th–20th century
Kuba
raffia cloth, cotton cloth, glass beads, cowries
Democratic Republic of Congo
Overall (hat): 4 1/2 × 7 1/8 in. dia. (11.43 × 18.1 cm)
Overall (pin): 9 5/8 × 1 5/16 × 1 5/16 in. (24.45 × 3.33 × 3.33 cm)
2007.116a-b
A kupash is as a sign of rank that is reserved for men in the Kuba royal family. The conical hat is woven from raffia fibers and decorated with beads and cowries. The hammered copper disks on this hat are a symbol of royal ownership.
Gift of Roger A. Provencher
Fortune, Courage, Love: Arts of Africa’s Akan and Kuba Kingdoms from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, William King Museum, Abingdon, Virginia, March 28 - July 12, 2015; Taubman Museum of Art, Roanoke, Virginia, September 26, 2015 - January 3, 2016; Piedmont Arts, Martinsville, Virginia, January 16 - March 6, 2016
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC

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