Katanda Figure

ClassificationsSculpture

Culture Lega

Date20th Century

Made AtDemocratic Republic of the Congo, Africa

MediumWood and pigment

Dimensions15 1/4 × 5 × 1 1/4 in. (38.7 × 12.7 × 3.2 cm)

Credit LineGift of Anne and Long Shung Shih

Object number2019.23.54

DescriptionThis sculpture comes from the Lega culture of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Most Lega art is produced by the Bwami society, which creates ivory and wooden statuettes and masks. Although they create many types of human figures, all of them are used in initiation ceremonies and represent either positive or negative forces. This object is a katanda figure, or ‘sleeping mat.’ Katanda figures represent a swarm of red ants on a mat and metaphorically represent a waking from laziness and sexual laxity. The Lega believe a sexually promiscuous person spreads disorder amongst a village in the same way that red ants are destructive. The holes in Katanda figures represent damage caused by red ants.

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