coolie hat

The Asian conical hat is a simple style of conically shaped sun hat originating in East, South and Southeast Asia; and notable in modern-day nations and regions of China, Taiwan, parts of Outer Manchuria, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Nepal, Tibet, Thailand, and Vietnam. It is kept on the head by a cloth (often silk) or fiber chin strap.

Regional names

English terms for the hat include sedge hat, rice hat, paddy hat, bamboo hat and sometimes coolie hat. Note, however, that ''coolie'' is often considered a derogatory racial slur.

In Southeast Asia, it is known as (ដួន) in Cambodia; or in Indonesia; () in Laos; in Malaysia; ()​ in Thailand; () in Myanmar; , and among other names in the Philippines; and in Vietnam.

In East Asia it is called (, literally meaning a "one- bamboo hat") in China; in Japan; and () in Korea.

In South Asia, it is known as () in Assam (India); in Bangladesh it is known as ().

Use

Asian conical hats are, throughout Asia, primarily used as a form of protection from the sun and rain. When made of straw or other woven materials, it can be dipped in water and worn as an impromptu evaporative cooling device.

China

In China, it was typically associated with farmers, while mandarins wore tighter circular caps, especially in the winter. There are several conical hat types worn during the Qing dynasty (see Qing official headwear).

Japan

It is also widely understood in East Asia, most notably Japan, where they were known as , as a symbol of Buddhism, as it is traditionally worn by pilgrims and Buddhist monks in search of alms.

Sturdier, even metal, variants, known as (battle kasa), were also worn by samurai and foot-soldiers in Japan, as helmets.

Philippines

In the Philippines, the ''salakot'' is more commonly a pointed dome-shape, rather than conical, with a spike or knob finial. Unlike most other mainland Asian conical hats, it is characterized by an inner headband in addition to a chinstrap. It can be made from various materials including bamboo, rattan, nito, bottle gourd, buri straw, nipa leaves, pandan leaves, and carabao horn. The plain type is typically worn by farmers, but nobles in the pre-colonial period (and later '' principalia'' in the Spanish period) crafted ornate variations with jewels, precious metals, or tortoiseshell. These are considered heirloom objects passed down from generation to generation within families.

The ''salakot'' was also commonly worn by native soldiers in the Spanish colonial army. It was adopted by Spanish troops in the early 18th century as part of their campaign uniform. In doing so, it became the direct precursor of the pith helmet (still called ''salacot'' or ''salacco'' in Spanish and French).

Vietnam

In Vietnam, the nón lá, (“hats”), (“rice hat”), (“conical hat”) or ("bamboo hat") forms a perfect right circular cone which tapers smoothly from the base to the apex. Special conical hats in Vietnam contain colourful hand-stitch depictions or words while the varieties are famous for their (lit. poem conical hats). These contain random poetic verses and Chữ Hán which can be revealed when the hat is directed above one's head in the sunlight. In modernity, they have become part of Vietnam's national costume.

Others

In India, Bangladesh and Borneo, the plain conical hat was worn by commoners during their daily work, but more decoratively-colored ones were used for festivities. In Sabah, the colorful conical hat is worn for certain dances while in Assam they are hung in homes as decoration or worn by the upper classes for special occasions.

Gallery

File:Jaapi.jpg, A decorative Assamese jaapi constructed with bamboo while the decorations are felt, threads and tin glitter
File:Farmer (9234094254).jpg, A farmer in Bangladesh wearing a ()
File:Conical hats 04.jpg, A selection of conical hats in Hainan, China
File:Nón lá đồ chơi.jpg, Souvenir for tourists from Vietnam
File:Rice 02.jpg, Rice farmer in northern Cambodia wearing a
File:Penampang Sabah Kaamatan-Celebrations-2014-07.jpg, Conical hats of the Dusun people in Sabah, Malaysia
File:Silver enlaid salakot.jpg, A silver inlaid Filipino
File:A Corean in mourning clothes.jpg, A Korean man in traditional mourning clothes and
File:Making conical hats - Hue countryside.jpg, Making conical hats () in countryside, Vietnam
File:Three Moro women in Jolo, Sulu.jpg, Three women wearing from Jolo, Sulu, Philippines, c.1900
File:Silver-inlaid tortoiseshell salakot.jpg, Tortoiseshell and silver from the Philippines
File:Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Money Museum salakot display.jpg, A Philippine Salakot

See also

* List of hats and headgear
* ''Ngob''
* ''Gat''
* Fulani hat
* Pointed hat
* Pilgrim's hat
* Mokoliʻi, an island in Hawaii with a nickname "Chinaman's Hat"

References

External links

Conical straw hats gallery

{{DEFAULTSORT:Conical Straw Hat
Burmese headgear
Chinese headgear
Pointed hats
History of Asian clothing
Indian headgear
Japanese headgear
Korean headgear
Philippine headgear
Vietnamese headgear
Thai headgear
Straw objects