Karamojong Tribal Feather Headdress

The Karamojong people of Uganda are well known for their exuberant jewelry and body adornments, including headdresses such as this feather-festooned cap. A symbol of male strength and courage, these headdresses were worn by young men of a warrior class charged with preserving social order and peacekeeping. When a young man entered this group, his head was shaved, the hair mixed with mud and sewn into a wire frame. Shaped into a cap, the headdress was then adorned with ostrich feathers attached with springs to maximize their flutter. We love to imagine the pageantry of a group of headdress-bedecked young men proudly displaying their vaunted status at celebrations and social gatherings.