What is the function of the Akuaba female figure?
What is the function of the Akuaba female figure?
Akua’ba dolls are used by women who fear infertility. It is important for women to be successful in having children. Infertility, miscarriage or infant death are feared by women as they raise suspicions of witchcraft.
Is the Akuaba doll modern or traditional?
The present, typical ‘Akuaba doll’ is carved from light-coloured, lightweight wood in traditional form and dyed black.
Which ethnic group is identified with the use of the Akuaba doll?
Used among the Ashanti and Fantis of Ghana, Akuaba (plural Akua’mma)doll statuettes are amulets used by Ashanti women to promote fertility. They are easily identified by their stylized appearance.
What is the meaning of Akuaba?
Akua’ba (sometimes spelled Akwaba or Akuba) are wooden ritual fertility dolls from Southern Ghana and nearby areas. The best known akua’ba are those of the Fanti people, “Fanti Dolls” whose akua’ba have large, disc-like heads.
How do you use an African fertility doll?
The doll is carried by the wishful woman and is cared for as if it were an actual baby while she is waiting for conception to occur. The women carries the doll and treats it like a real child, dressing it up, adorning it with jewelry and putting it to bed.
Which aspect of this Asante Akua Ba figure represents their standard of idealized beauty?
The figures represent the beauty standards of the Akan, with high foreheads, curving eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes, a straight nose, and pursed lips. The Asante version of these figures have round or oval heads, which are also seen as beautiful.
What are fertility dolls?
An Akuaba doll is wooden carving from Africa. It’s a good luck charm and a symbol of hope for women who are struggling with infertility.
Who are the Ashanti tribe in Africa?
The Ashanti Empire was a pre-colonial West African state that emerged in the 17th century in what is now Ghana. The Ashanti or Asante were an ethnic subgroup of the Akan-speaking people, and were composed of small chiefdoms.
What is a Ashanti doll?
African hand carved Ashanti dolls also known as a Fertility doll. The fertility doll which originates from Ghana but can be found in many other African countries in western Africa, is given to a tribal woman who is wanting to become pregnant.
Where are the fertility statues now?
The two famous fertility statues are back in Orlando and are on permanent display at Ripley’s corporate headquarters. There is a private room set up for the statues and for those who want to come in and see and touch them. There’s a sign-in sheet at the front desk.
What are Namji dolls?
Namji Dolls, also known as Dowayo Dolls are fertility dolls native to the Namji tribe of North Cameroon. The blacksmiths of this tribe make this doll from carved African Rosewood. Namji Dolls date as far back as 1940.
What is a fertility figure?
Usually these statues are of highly regarded and powerful entities, such as goddesses. Theses statues and or figures then became symbols, and were most likely used further to help assist and promote fertility for women during childbirth. It is of Yakshi, a fertility goddess.
What are the characteristics of akuaba?
Most figures are called Akuaba; there are also many small figures without “classic” Akuaba form but which are nevertheless used in identical or analogous situations.Their shrine sculptures are almost always female. All shrines are concerned either directly or indirectly with human fertility.
What is Akua BA sculpture?
Full-bodied figures such as this are believed to be a recent twentieth-century innovation within the akua ba sculptural tradition. The name akua ba comes from the Akan legend of a woman named Akua who was barren, but like all Akan women, she desired most of all to bear children.
How many Akua’ba are there?
Three akua’ba. These are from the Fante people. Akua’ba (sometimes spelled Akwaba or Akuba) are wooden ritual fertility dolls from Southern Ghana and nearby areas. The best known akua’ba are those of the Fanti people, “Fanti Dolls” whose akua’ba have large, disc-like heads.
What is an Akua BA doll?
Akua’ba (sometimes spelled Akwaba or Akuba) are wooden ritual fertility dolls from Southern Ghana and nearby areas. The best known akua’ba are those of the Fanti people, “Fanti Dolls” whose akua’ba have large, disc-like heads. Other tribes in the West Africa region (f.ex. Kru and Igbo people) have their own distinctive style of akua’ba.
