April 4th, 2013
Hats of this type are worn by the Yupik people of Alaska in the spring to protect against the sun’s glare. This hat was made in the Kuskokwim River Valley from bone and very thin sheets of wood. The white paint that originally covered the wood has largely worn away. The hat was collected by Moravian missionaries based in Bethel, Alaska and was donated to the Museum as a part of the Wachovia Historical Society Collection.