shadakóox̲' (Hat)

Likely a child or youth's hat. Aspects of the hat suggest ceremonial regalia: the fine weaving that reveals the maker’s artistry and technical proficiency, and a column of woven “potlatch rings” with an ermine-tail tassel on top. These elements together – including the distinctive paint – would have signified the high social standing of its wearer. The top ring appears to have been removed from the top of the hat at some point, since the top ring would normally be fully woven closed, on the top surface - not left with an opening, like this one.

Finely woven spruce root hat, painted green with an ermine tail tassel at top. Hat has a closely twined lower half, or brim, where a skip-stitch technique is used to create a raised pattern. Above the brim is the conical crown, twined of more finely split spruce roots. Where the crown meets the brim are integrated many more spruce-root warp strands in order to achieve the hat’s wide flare; also drawn some of them inside to simultaneously weave the inner headband as a continuous whole with the body of the hat. Separately constructed is the hollow column of three rings sewn to the top; even more finely woven than the crown, they form one unit, each ring connected to the other by its narrow neck. Inside is a woven inner headband, with rawhide straps attached to each side. There is a jog in the weave.