Item X 13234 Kangakanga | Headdress. Mekeo. Oriropetana, Central Province, Papua New Guinea. 1906

Summary

Clan leaders of the Mekeo tribes wore elegant and elaborate feather headdresses known as kangakanga for the most important ceremonies. Each headdress incorporated elements of a clan's totem, perhaps an animal bone, or shell or a particular plant. The central feature of any kangakanga was a fretted turtle shell ornament, or kefe. This emblem was obtained by trade from the Roro people living on the coast. The individual nature of the kefe, and the special arrangement of feathers, makes each headdress unique.

Local Name

Kangakanga

Physical Description

Large headdress made of bird-of-paradise wings and the feathers of the cockatoo, parrot and pigeon. It has a clam shell disk with turtleshell fretwork attached at the front.