Rikbaktsa feather crown, Brazil, 20th century

Feather crown RIKBAKTSA, Brazil, 20th century.
Feathers, vegetable fibers and other organic materials.
Measurements: 57 × 36 × 46 cm (without base).

Ceremonial crown made by the Rikbaktsa people, an indigenous group of the Brazilian Amazon, characterized by the use of brightly colored feathers combined with braided plant fibers. The radial arrangement and chromatic richness not only respond to aesthetic criteria, but also to symbolic ones, associated with identity, status and ritual practices.

The Rikbaktsa people live mainly in the state of Mato Grosso, in the Juruena River region. Traditionally hunters, fishermen and gatherers, they developed a material culture closely linked to their natural environment. Feathers, obtained from local birds, have a strong symbolic value and are used in body ornaments used in ceremonies, dances and rituals of social affirmation.

This type of ornamentation is integrated into a complex system of body representation, where body decoration acts as a means of cultural communication. The careful selection of materials and the assembly technique reflect an orally transmitted tradition, in which each piece is both an aesthetic object and a bearer of meaning within the community.