Detail of "Ju Ju" or Tyn Chicken Feather Headdress

A Colorful Jolt of MAGIC!

Imagine barefoot dancers in Africa – gyrating, stomping, swaying back and forth - all the while progressing forward in a serpentine procession. Covering their bodies and faces are colorful costumes made of red, white and blue cotton, and delicately balanced on top of their heads are brightly colored feather headdresses almost three feet in diameter. The dancers are headed for an audience with their king; and when they arrive the same headdresses are hung on a wall behind the king as the ultimate expression of prestige and prosperity. NOW – leave Africa and imagine one of these headdresses adorning your own wall at home.

"Ju Ju" or Tyn Feather Headdress composed of dyed chicken feathers

This week’s New Arrival features a collection of feather headdresses from the Bamileke Kingdom in Cameroon, West Africa. Informally known as “Ju Ju” or magic hats, they are also known as Tyn, which translates as “feather” in the local language. Bright, colorful, and sculptural, Tyn are valued in the Bamileke Kingdom as status objects and as symbols of prosperity. Locals believe affluence and good fortune ride in on the feathers.  Their history and symbolism is appreciated by the Bamileke and western audiences alike. Yet, in the West Tyn also have undeniable appeal as wall art, an affordable jolt of color lending a little magic to any décor.