Description

This is a traditional hat made by the Rabari people of the states of Gujarat, Punjab and Rajasthan in India. The Rabari people are a Hindu pastoralist nomadic who traditionally earn their livelihood by grazing sheep, and tending to herds of cattle and buffaloes in western India. This hat may be ceremonial and is made of cotton with loose thread on its edges. It’s decorated with a design of multiple colors of beads and buttons. Embroidery is a vital, living and evolving expression of the crafted textile tradition of the Rabari people. As far back as the group’s collective memory stretches, Rabari women have diligently embroidered textiles as an expression of creativity, aesthetics and identity. Designs are taken from mythology and the indigenous peoples’ desert surroundings.