Nikola Bacevic, associate of King Nikola I, in Montenegrin national costume, Paris, 1912
Montenegrin
hat (detail)
The "HI" on the top of the hat represents the initials, in Cyrillic, of King Nikola I.
The Montenegrin hat was originally decorated on top with a six-pointed star. During Njegos' time, his associates would put on top of their hats the initials of their tribal names (nahija). During the reign of Prince Danilo and King Nikola, these were replaced with the king's initials. (See the published study by Mrs. Zorica Radulovic, "The Montenegrin Male Hat", Glasnik Cetinjskij Muzeja IX, Cetinje, 1976.)
Following the occupation of Montenegro by Serbia, this hat was forbidden, like all other symbols which could remind Montenegrins of their sovereignty and history. A new sign was invented and placed on the top of the hat. This sign, a cross and four symbols each shaped like a "C" (the letter "S" in Cyrillic), is, allegedly, the Serbian national seal, which is supposed to be an acronym for "only unity saves the Serbs." This "interpretation" of the four "C" symbols is, however, merely a mythological invention of Great Serbia propaganda. In fact, this Serbian national seal does not represent four "C" letters but rather, as stated in the Serbian constitution, was originally designed to represent four ognjilo, kresivo (curved pieces of steel used with flint to strike a spark). Nonetheless, this myth is used today by quasi-historians and charlatans as "proof" that Montenegrins are of Serbian origin!
No example of such a four-"C" hat dating from before 1918 can be found in any museum archives, private collection or documentary movie, nor is it described as such in any reputable publication before 1918.
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www.montenegro.org Last updated on 22 April 1997