In September of 1973, during a break between Grateful Dead shows in New York, Big Steve Parish and Jerry Garcia were standing outside their hotel on Central Park South, talking, laughing, and enjoying a rare moment of stillness. Without warning, a car pulled up to the curb. A man leaned out, handed Steve a shoebox with air holes punched in the top, said, “It’s yours now,” and drove off.
Inside the box was an iguana and a handwritten note. The letter named him Chonga Bonga, the lizard god, and asked that he be cared for and allowed to thrive. Steve and the crew took the request seriously. Chonga Bonga joined them on the road, traveling from city to city and living in carefully prepared hotel bathrooms filled with warm steam, fresh lettuce, and tomatoes. He changed colors with his surroundings and quickly became a beloved mascot, a strange and beautiful presence woven into daily life on tour.
Chonga Bonga rode the road with the band, thriving as part of the crew. Then, in Philadelphia, a well-intended mistake left the bathroom too hot, and Chonga Bonga passed away. The crew honored him with a Viking-style farewell, treating him with the same respect they gave one another.
Chonga Bonga lives on as legend—a symbol of the unpredictable, communal magic of life with the Grateful Dead. To those who were there, he remains a reminder that the road was filled with responsibility, love, and moments so strange and unexplainable they could only happen once, and only there.
Our trendy foam trucker hat featuring Chonga Bonga is made with high-quality polyester and foam that guarantees a premium look and feel. It has an adjustable snap that ensures a comfortable fit, and the mesh back provides great breathability. The matching color braid gives the hat an extra oomph.
• 100% polyester front
• 100% polyester mesh back
• Thicker and heavier fabric, laminated with high-density, non-toxic foam
• Structured, 5-panel cap, high-profile
• 8 rows of stitching on a pre-curved visor
• Seamless foam front panel with lining
• Matching fabric undervisor
• Matching color braid and sweatband
• Adjustable plastic snap
• One size fits most
