Basketry Hat

Culture Coast Salish: Squamish
Location Case 007
Object Number A4255

Forget your cumbersome umbrella – this dome-shaped, double-woven hat would do the trick! This traditional Squamish rain gear has an inner and outer layer, both of which are attached at the rim. The outer hat is more finely woven to keep the rain from penetrating the inner hat, and both layers are made of cedar bark. A hat band inside fits the hat to the head and keeps the sides of the hat away from the wearer’s head. Hats like these would have been useful while paddling a canoe. Squamish elders recently recognized this hat as one worn by Haksten (Harriet Johnny) in a Coast Salish film that Harlan Smith made between 1923 and 1929.