Although African Caribbean fashions for sculptural headwraps likely originated from older West African forms of headdress, the diversity and creativity of their styling was also a form of resistance against racist dress regulations.

In 1786 a law was enacted in Spanish Louisiana mandating that all women of colour - enslaved and free - refrain from decorating their hair with feathers or jewellery. Instead, they were to cover their hair with handkerchiefs as sign of their 'slave class' status. Women of colour used Madras handkerchiefs to create glamourous tignons (headwraps), turning handkerchief headwraps into respected marks of distinction.

The unknown woman in this portrait has historically been identified as Marie Laveau, a renowned Voodoo religious leader in 19th century New Orleans. Although there is no evidence that this portrait is of Laveau herself, the woman’s Madras tignon connects her with Laveau’s African Caribbean community in New Orleans.

Related Database Records

Entry no. 228: On sumptuary laws in Saint-Domingue in the 18th century.