gw∂nuskwa’kws∂._k “long pointed”
Penobscot, before 1860
Wool, silk, beads, thread

 

Molly Molasses’s peaked cap —
Molly (1775-1867) was a legendary elder of the Penobscot Tribe, well remembered by local people and tribal members alike.

 

The cap is a beautiful example of the traditional historic headgear of Wabanaki women. By the 1850s, such hats were worn mostly for formal portraits, as in Molly’s case.

 

Molly’s cap is made from red wool trade cloth. Cloth was an important material sought after by Wabanaki who traded furs for it. By 1820,this cloth became so important that it was included in the list of items called annuity given out as part of the treaty obligations between the State of Maine and the Passamaquoddy Tribe and Penobscot Nation.