hat

When I lived on the island of Martinique, the local fishermen wore a hat called a bakoua, with a tall conical crown and a wide sombrero-like brim.

I never knew what the strange design was for.

One day, out of curiosity, I asked an old fisherman, whom I'd befriended, what was the purpose of the bakoua.

He looked at me patiently and spoke slowly. 'To cover the head,' he sighed.