A City’s Monuments Say A Lot About Its Character And Ethos

Late last January:

A new sculpture honoring the ancient female serpent deity Mami Wata has replaced the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee on the public square in New Orleans. The governing leaders of New Orleans felt that a new direction for the city was necessary, as has been reported:

“Ultimately, the artist felt, as we did, that because the original placement of the Robert E. Lee atop the pedestal was one of power and domination—the statue had loomed over the city, symbolizing the tyranny of white supremacy—that this new work should be closer to the level of the individual…”

(*Originally an African deity, and still worshipped there by various names, Mami Wata worship in the West is primarily found among Voodoo practitioners across the Caribbean).

The Mami Wata sculpture was only a temporary exhibit, to be removed in August. I haven’t yet heard what replaced it.