What: A pot made and used by the Songye people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Where to find it: In the exhibit "To Have and To Hold: African Containers" at the Mathers Museum of World Cultures
Why you should care: Containers are essential for human life -- we use them every day, to carry out tasks both prosaic and sacred. Containers play a role in all aspects of culture, from food gathering, preparation and serving to the definition of self. In 21st-century America, most people own and use containers that are mass-produced, often in distant places and made of such materials as metal and plastic. The handmade containers stand out: a mug made in a pottery class, a hand-quilted carrying bag. In much of Africa, people rely more on containers which are handmade locally of natural materials. Metal and plastic containers are common, too, but have not supplanted the traditional varieties to the same degree they have in Western cultures. The African container exhibit closes Dec. 21.
