Woman's Hat

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.