Myhara Rikbaktsa ceremonial headdress (Brazil, Mato Grosso) from the first half of the 20th century (ca. 1920–1950)

Myhara Rikbaktsa ceremonial headdress (Brazil, Mato Grosso) from the first half of the 20th century (ca. 1920–1950).A stunning ceremonial headdress belonging to the Myhara Rikbaktsa indigenous people, native to the state of Mato Grosso in the Brazilian Amazon.
Made on a woven cotton base, it features a spectacular radial arrangement of long red feathers from the green-winged macaw (Ara chloropterus), combined with blue feathers from the blue-and-yellow macaw (Ara ararauna) and black feathers from the hocó, or Amazonian curassow (Crax rubra / Great Curassow). The crown is embellished with red down, while tufts of natural black hair hang from both sides. The back features a set of braided cotton cords from which new feathers of the same species emerge, topped with long red and blue tail feathers.
This type of headdress was one of the most prestigious ceremonial items among the Rikbaktsa, reserved for ritual celebrations, dances, and community events of special significance.
Collected in the region of the Juruena and Sangue rivers, in the state of Mato Grosso (Brazil), around the 1950s.
Provenance:
• Ray Gillis Collection, Belgium.
• T. Jorissen Collection, Belgium.
• Private Belgian collection.
Bibliography / Comparables
• American Museum of Natural History, New York (U.S.).
• Musée d’Arts Africains, Océaniens et Amérindiens, Marseille (France).
• Royal Museums of Art and History, Brussels (Belgium).
It shows slight wear and minor losses typical of ceremonial use and the organic nature of the materials. It retains an extraordinary aesthetic presence and excellent ethnographic quality.
Measurements: 93 x 95 cm (without base).

A ceremonial headdress constructed on a woven cotton framework, from which a wide, radial crown of feathers extends. The long reddish and orange feathers are interspersed with blue ones that provide chromatic contrast. The lower section is completed with a dense application of red down, braided cotton cords, and long strands of natural black hair.

The fan-shaped arrangement lends the piece a striking monumentality and transforms the silhouette of the wearer. The movement of the feathers, cords, and hair during ceremonies adds to its rich color palette, making the headdress a visually striking element. The balance between the lightness of the feathers and the complexity of the structure demonstrates the profound technical expertise developed by the Rikbaktsa in the art of featherwork.

The myhara was used primarily by men during rituals and inter-community gatherings. Among the Rikbaktsa, feather adornments were an essential part of celebrations associated with the agricultural cycle, music, dance, and body painting. The birds—macaws, parakeets, and Amazonian peacocks—were raised and cared for in the villages as a renewable source of feathers, selected according to their color, size, and ornamental function.

The Rikbaktsa traditionally inhabit the Juruena, Sangue, and Arinos river basins in the northwest of the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso. Within their material culture, these headdresses serve as expressions of identity, prestige, and collective belonging, combining ceremonial function, artisanal skill, and a close relationship with the natural Amazonian environment.