Ashanti Linguist's Staff Depicting Mother and Children in Teaching Setting

Orange cat circled by four small people, one seated high behind it.

This linguist’s staff depicting mother and children in teaching setting is Ashanti, from Ghana, West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is carved & painted wood. Without a written language of their own, the Ashanti handed history and sayings down by word of mouth, and the article counts over 3,600 proverbs covering nearly every human situation. Small red-orange animal stands at the middle of a round dark blue platform. A seated figure with a pointed topknot sits behind, while a smaller figure faces forward and two slim figures stand at the sides. It is 11 inches wide, 8.5 deep and 62.5 high.

A crowded little court, and the cat is the centre of attention.