Human Hair Wig
date: label: Accession Date
content: 1858
label: Collection Date
content: 1838 to 1842
name: label: Collector
content: United States Exploring Expedition
label: Donor Name
content: United States Exploring Expedition
notes: label: Notes
content: HUMAN HAIR WIG "ULUMATE", MADE OF TIGHTLY CURLED BLACK HAIR ATTACHED TO A WICKER WORK FRAME. THE BACK OF THE WIG HAS A FRINGE OF LONGER BLACK CURLED HAIR. THIS OBJECT WAS ON PERMANENT EXHIBIT IN THE PACIFIC HALL, N.M.N.H., BUT WAS REMOVED AND EXHIBITED IN "MAGNIFICENT VOYAGERS," NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, 1985-86, AND EXHIBITED SITES "MAGNIFICENT VOYAGERS," 1987-89. EXAMINED BY KENNETH P. EMORY, JUNE 1941.
label: Notes
content: FROM CARD: "CAT. 2909. WIG, ... BLACK HAIR, WICKER OR RATHER, BASKETRY WORK FRAME. DIAMETER OF OPENING 8", HEIGHT OF WIG 8". (THIS INFORMATION GIVEN BY K. P. EMORY, BISHOP MUSEUM, 6/24/41)."
label: Notes
content: Peale catalogue identifies # 1809 to 1812 as "Wigs showing the usual style of dressing the hair by the Fiji's. On the death of friends or relatives it is customary to cut off the hair close to the head. These wigs are worn on the expiration of the term of mourning until the hair grows again: the wigs are made of natural hair dyed and curled according to the fashion of the day."
label: Notes
content: See p. 261 in Leclerc-Caffarel, Stephanie (2013) Exchange relations between Fijians and Euro-Americans (1774-1854), with reference to museum collections Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia. Leclerc-Caffarel notes about this object: "Among the finest specimens examined during this work is one ulumate in the Wilkes collection ... . It is well preserved and impressive in size, symmetrical features and skilful manufacture. Especially remarkable is the fall of tobe ringlets at the back. These were indicative of high status, most likely that of a chief or celebrated warrior (Clunie 1982b:3)."
label: Notes
content: Illustrated Fig. 68, p. 150 in Hooper, Steven, and Adi Meretu Ratunabuabua. 2016. Fiji art and life in the Pacific. Norwich: Sainsbury Research Unit for the Arts of Africa, Oceania & the Americas. Identified there: Ulumate (wig); human hair, wickerwork, coir, fiber. A dense, near-spherical helmet of hair is attached to a rigid wickerwork frame, with numerous tobe locks tied across the back to form a cascade over the neck.
label: Record Last Modified
content: 20 Mar 2024
label: Specimen Count
content: 1
place: label: Place
content: Fiji, Melanesia
topic: label: Topic
content: Ethnology
culture: label: Culture
content: Fijian
setName: label: See more items in
content: Anthropology
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: NMNH - Anthropology Dept.
identifier: label: Accession Number
content: 66A00050
label: USNM Number
content: E2909-0
objectType: label: Object Type
content: Wig
physicalDescription: label: Length - Fringe
content: 20 cm
label: Width - Object
content: 32 cm
label: Height - Object
content: 24 cm