Salakot

Made from various materials including bamboo, rattan, nito ferns, and bottle gourd, the salakot is held in place by an inner headband and a chinstrap.

[1] The salakot is the direct precursor to the pith helmet (also called salacot in Spanish and salacco in French) widely used by European military forces in the colonial era.

[4] Some salakot also had cloth overlays (which are commonly decorated with elaborate embroidery) or have linings which can have pockets used for storing valuables and money, as well as tobacco or betel leaves.

"[1] During the 19th century in the Spanish colonial era, the salakot were worn as status symbols by members of the aristocratic class (the Principalía) as part of the barong tagalog ensemble.

[7][8] These Spanish-era salakot were made from prized materials like tortoiseshell and elaborately decorated with gems and precious metals like silver,[9] or, at times, gold.

[11] Many depictions of gobernadorcillos and cabezas de barangay would portray these colonial public functionaries as wearing ornate salakot.

British and Dutch troops in nearby regions followed suit and the salakot became a common headgear for colonial forces in the mid-19th century.

[13] The salakot is a common symbol for Filipino identity, often worn by the National personification Juan dela Cruz along with a barong tagalog.