Asian conical hat

thumb|right|180px|Caping worn by a farmer in Indonesia

The Asian conical hat is a style of conically shaped sun hat worn in Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. It is kept on the head by a cloth or fiber chin strap, an inner headband, or both.

Regional names

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

English terms for the hat include bamboo hat, Chinese hat, coolie hat, paddy hat, rice hat, sedge hat.

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

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

{| class="wikitable"

!Country

!Local name

!In Native Script

|India (Assam)

|Jaapi

|জাপি

|Bangladesh

|Mathal

|মাথাল

|Cambodia

|Do'un

|ដួន

|China

|Dǒulì

|斗笠

|Indonesia

|Caping, Seraung

|Japan

|Kasa

|笠

|Korea

|Satgat

|삿갓

|Laos

|Koup

|ກຸບ

|Malaysia

|Terendak, Siung

|تريندق‎

|Myanmar

|Khamauk

|ခမောက်

|Philippines

|Salakót

|ᜐᜎᜃᜓᜆ᜔

|Taiwan

|kue-le̍h-á

|瓜笠仔/kue-le̍h-á

|Thailand

|Ngop

|งอบ

|Vietnam

|Nón lá, Nón tơi

|𥶄蘿, 𥶄𥵖

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, conical hats were typically associated with farmers, while mandarins wore tighter circular caps, especially in the winter. There were 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.

Malaysia

thumb|170px|right|[[Sumazau performances by Papar Kadazans with siung at the Monsopiad Heritage Village]]

In the Papar District of Sabah, the conical hat is worn during the sazau or sumazau dances during the harvest festival of Kaamatan by the Kadazan people, while it is also hung in homes as decoration. In the past, it was commonly worn by the Kadazan females of the Papar District for protection against sunlight and rain during their agricultural activities. Different types of siung also carry their respective meanings; for Kadazan sumandaks who are still unmarried, it is usually with feathers; the flower one usually means already married, while plain either means widowed, a grandmother or elderly. Another hint is the silver belt (antique British trade dollar); unmarried Kadazan females usually with four coins, while those married wear only two.

Philippines

thumb|150px|left|Spanish military uniforms in the [[Captaincy General of the Philippines|Philippines in 1862 showing the salakot (right) worn as part of the traje de campaña (campaign uniform) and Rayadillo. This later evolved into pith helmet in British India.]]

thumb|150px|right|Filipina farmer wearing a [[salakot]]

In the Philippines, the salakót 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 salakót 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

thumb|right|180px|[[Nón lá - the most popular traditional head hat in 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. The varieties are famous for their (lit. poem conical hats) and 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, and Bangladesh, the plain conical hat was worn by commoners during their daily work, but more decoratively-colored ones were used for festivities.

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 Kadazan 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,

File:Silver-inlaid tortoiseshell salakot.jpg|Tortoiseshell and silver from the Philippines

File:Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Money Museum salakot display.jpg|A Philippine Salakót

</gallery>

References

External links

Conical straw hats gallery
Phan Quang Nhat