Northeast 
Potawatomi

Pocupine & deer hair,  pigment, hide
ca. 1950s
Length: 21 in
Other – Regalia – Headdress

The porcupine hair roach is a traditional male headdress of several Native American tribes in what is now New England, the Great Lakes and Missouri River regions, including the Potawatomi who lived where Chicago now stands. They were and still are most often worn by dancers at pow wows as regalia.  At one time they were worn on the head of a Native American Warrior into battle, symbolizing a veteran of combat, and can be seen in iconic works such as Karl Bodmer and George Catlin.

This dance roach is constructed of guard hair of the porcupine and tail hair of the white tail deer.  Portions of the deer hair has been dyed with the natural mineral pigment ocher red, along with a blue dye.  It is worn like a horse’s mane which was considered stylish in the 19^th century.