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Dari

This style of headdress is iconic for the Torres Strait Islands however the spelling of the name varies. Dhari is the term used by people in the eastern Islands of the Torres Straits, while those in the central islands know it as dhoeri. It is a classic form made and worn on the head for dance and typically decorated with white feathers of a sea bird. Originally it would be made with a pearl shell or turtle shell in the centre. The introduction of Christianity had a profound influence on Torres Strait culture, and the performance of ritual was actively discouraged by the London Missionary Society who arrived at Erub (Darnley Island) in 1871. When Alfred Cort Haddon went to the Torres Straits in 1888 ritual performance was not commonplace. Today the making of the dhari or doeri has re-emerged as an iconic symbol for Torres Strait Islander people and is one of the motifs on the Torres Strait Island Flag.