Cane - Wood

A ritual staff of the Pende. DR Congo. This staff is reserved for the chief and testifies to his power which he derives from his ancestors. They are depicted on the staff. The mother is shown with a child on her back, a sign of her indispensability for the clan's survival. At the front a great deal of power substance is noticeable, partly damaged. Metal (silver?) plates have been affixed and the tip of the staff sits in a metal shaft. Notice the red ritual cloth and the small beads. On the lower part is a snake carved with power substance on the head and containing a small shard that is meant to represent the eyes.

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