UNDER THE HAT:

The Complicated History of the Pith Helmet

About the Film

Among history’s charged artifacts stands the pith helmet, an emblem of colonial brutality shrouded in a complex past. For over four decades, Douglas Zinn has been on a relentless quest, immersing himself in a jungle of tropical sun hats, amassing a collection of over 450 pith helmets along with ephemera: posters, toys, and stamps. This documentary is a thought-provoking exploration of how these artifacts continue to resonate with power, symbolizing a troubled legacy that still echoes in our modern consciousness. Through Zinn’s expertise and scholarship, the film illuminates the helmet’s transformation from a practical sunshade to a potent symbol of oppression, offering viewers a poignant reflection on the repercussions of the past.