Hundreds of headdresses telling histories in Old Montreal museum
Nearly every culture around the world seems to adorn their heads.
"Headdresses around the World" is an exhibit at the Pointe-a-Calliere Museum that provides proof of this.
The exhibit includes around 300 headbands, bonnets, crowns, and more. Head and shoulders above any other collection, French philanthropist Antoine de Galbert donated the pieces to the Musee des Confluences in Lyon, France, and they are now on loan in Montreal.
Cedric Lesec travelled with the collection from Lyon and represents the Musee des Confluences.
"It's his life, the life of a collector, more than 30 years to collect these objects around the world," said Lesec. "Some are items from daily life; others are for special ceremonies."
From a copper foil wedding crown from Sumatra to a chief's headdress from the Democratic Republic of Congo made of beads, wood and plant fibres, the displays inform the visitors who wore the item and how it was made.
Anne Elisabeth Thibault of the Pointe-a-Calliere museum pointed to the ornate wedding headdresses from India that are actually made out of algae as items that will turn heads.
"Pith helmets" are made out of Sholapith, a white spongy plant matter that hardens as it dries.
"These white algae turns into a paste when it is out of the water, and it becomes really, really solid, and after that, it can be sculpted," said Thibault.
Many headpieces are made with natural, found objects like horns and feathers.
Visitors to the exhibit can learn about how South American artists feed birds certain foods to influence the colours of their feathers before collecting them as they fall.
"They need to preserve the environment," said Thibault. "They have a good knowledge nature, and they will know how to feed the birds in order to have certain colours coming out of the feathers."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.