Fulani Cotton Hat, Mali

The Sahel sun does not negotiate. The Fulani dress accordingly.

A Fulani hat from Mali, six inches high and just over twenty inches across. Cotton, leather and rattan, in a broad, shallow cone with a low crown. Ribbed rings of fine stitching run out from the center to a dark leather rim, and a small red bead sits at the peak.

The shape is pure function and fine as sculpture. A good hat should be both.

Hang it on the wall. It will shade the whole room.