A fine Torres Straits feather headdress

DERI OR DRI

Details

A fine Torres Straits feather headdress
deri or dri
The cut white feathers sewn to an arch composed of rattan strips bound with finely-twisted fibre, with further cloth-bound bundle of cassowary feathers to one side
48cm. high

Literature

Biebuyck, D., and Van den Abbeele, N., The Power of Headdresses, Brussels, 1984, p.226, Pl.180

Lot Essay

Cf. a similar headdress collected by A.C. Haddon on Mer in 1898 (Moore, D.R., The Torres Strait Collections of A.C. Haddon, London, 1984, Pl.44, no.375). Biebuyck writes that such headdresses symbolise the strength and agility of male dancers, who crouch and vibrate their heads very rapidly to win the admiration of the females in the audience, and that similar headdresses were worn by the Samo, Kaluli and others.

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