EKONDA, Equateur Province, Democratic Republic of Congo. Important bronze "Konga" anklet worn as a pair by high-ranking married women during ceremonies and for relatively short periods. A reservoir of wealth and used in matrimonial transactions, this anklet also testified to the wealth and social status of an individual or family. H. 27 cm. Note: The Konga could weigh up to 10 kg. To support the heavy ornament, women protected their ankles by wrapping them in strips of cloth and leaves called "Litele". When they removed the Konga from their bodies, women had to readjust the way they walked, as the Konga altered the body's centre of gravity.