Kanta (shield)

The Kanta is a traditional shield of the Toraja and Pamona people of Tana Toraja Regency, South Sulawesi and Poso Regency, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia respectively.^[1]

Kanta
A Kanta shield, pre 1940.
Type	Shield
Place of origin	Central Sulawesi & South Sulawesi, Indonesia
Service history
Used by	Toraja people, Pamona people
Specifications
Length	110 cm

Description

Cakalele performers from Donggala

It is a long slender shield, V-shaped over its entire length. It tapers somewhat towards the lower and upper parts. It is richly decorated with goat's hair dyed white, black and red, which are worked on horizontal tufts and inlaid with small shells or white bone. These tufts of white, red and black colored hair are mounted in overlapping rows.^[2]