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Hat
Lega
20th century
Object Place: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Medium/Technique
Basket, cowry, clam and mussel shells, bone, tusks or horns
Dimensions
Overall: 28.5 x 19 x 20 cm (11 1/4 x 7 1/2 x 7 7/8 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Geneviève McMillan in memory of Reba Stewart
Accession Number2009.2654
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsContemporary Art, Africa and Oceania, Fashion and Textiles
ClassificationsCostumes
As members of the Lega bwami association, which includes all circumcised adult men and their wives, advance through the association's hierarchy, different types of hats visually reveal the grade they have attained. The headdresses' shapes and materials have significance linked to bwami esoteric knowledge. Shells, for instance, allude to the waxing moon, while the elephant-tail bristles recall the animal's powerful role as a symbol and alter ego of leaders.
Provenance1992, sold by Kabba, Cambridge, MA, to Geneviève McMillan (b. 1922 - d. 2008), Cambridge, MA; 2008, to the Geneviève McMillan and Reba Stewart Foundation, Cambridge; 2009, gift of the Geneviève McMillan and Reba Stewart Foundation to the MFA. (Accession Date: June 17, 2009)