Fertility Dolls
Fertility Doll, Asante, Ghana, Early 20th century. Stained woof and beads. 16 ½” x 6 7/8”. Saint Louis Art Museum, Gift of Thomas Alexander
The Akua’ ba is made by the Asante peoples. This fertility doll is used by many different age groups for girls. When they are younger they are to play with these dolls in hopes of teaching proper parenting skills as well as help instill in their mind what feminine beauty is to the Asante. This object is made out of wood and is carved in the blacksmiths compound by smiths to show the feminine qualities of the Asante women. The high forehead is a quality that is much desired by the Asante, as well as arched eyebrows, a delicate nose and a small mouth. As they reach womanhood the doll becomes even more important in the spiritual world. It is hoped that the doll will help with the pregnancy and is also used after the childbirth as an aid and a reminder that the doll is what helped bring the new baby into the world.[1] The spirits help prepare these Asante women for childbirth in hopes to have a safe delivery with the power of devotion the woman gives to these dolls over the course of their lifetime.
[1] Elizabeth Skidmore Sasser, The World of Spirits and Ancestors in the Art of Western Sub-Saharan Africa (Lubbock: Texas Tech University Press, 1995), 136.
[1] Elizabeth Skidmore Sasser, The World of Spirits and Ancestors in the Art of Western Sub-Saharan Africa (Lubbock: Texas Tech University Press, 1995), 136.