What: This artifact is a pot made and used by the Songye people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Where you can find it: On exhibit in “To Have and To Hold: African Pots” at the Mathers Museum of World Cultures, 416 N. Indiana Ave.
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 far more on containers that 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.
