CAMEROON Bamileke tribe, Elephant mask and Tikar headdress

The use of feathers in African headdresses is typically reserved for regalia and for ceremonial occasions. Worn with an elaborate costume and beaded mask, Royal Dancers would wear this headdress during ceremonies such as the Elephant Dance or for the funeral of the Fon, the Supreme Chief. These rituals demonstrated the wealth, power, and prestige of the chiefdom.