Salako
Salako is a hat from Îles des Saintes (French Antilles). It appeared towards the end of the 19th century. It is made on Terre-de-Bas Island by some last craftsmen who still have the art and the technics of its making. Description Salako is the traditional headgear of people from les Saintes archipelago. Even if its usage is strongly rarefied, it is still worn by some fishermen for whom it is a perfect working accessory, protecting against the sun and the rain thanks to its wide edges indeformable by the wind. The particular silhouette of this headgear is noticeable by far offshore and helps to identify a Saintoise (traditional boat) from les Saintes islands. The elders of the archipelago also wear it during walks in streets at the sunny hours. The men having looked for bamboos and wood from pond, cut it and sharpen it to making this headgear with their dexterity and their know-how. The main structure is formed by fine slats sharped called " pikèt ", joined around a round central piece of wood in cone point, called " the heart ". These slats are tightened and tied up between them by circles of bamboo, called " sèrk ",