Tribal Art

Used by the Ashanti and Fantis of Ghana, Akuaba (plural Akua'mma) doll statuettes are amulets used by Ashanti women to promote fertility. They are easily identifiable by their stylized appearance. Their flat, circular head has a high front occupying the upper part, the lines usually appear in the lower third of the head. A beauty brand, the ringed neck also symbolizes prosperity. Worn behind the backs of women, these statues are also accompanied by various rituals, such as the ingestion of a potion, or the arrangement of the object on the family altar. After the birth of the child, the sculpture serves as a toy, and sometimes still offered to the healer in order to witness its effectiveness. This ancient doll depicts the mother carrying her child behind her back, firmly held by a draped textile. The base of the sculpture is eroded. Smooth patina with residual inlays ocreated libations.

This people consider women to be the final arbiter of all decisions. Fertility and children are the most common themes mentioned in Ashanti wood carvings. This ethnic group has built a relatively democratic society based on the moral value of the individual. The Ashanti founded a monarchy as early as the 17th century. The identities of the various Akan ethnic groups were influenced by both Islam and Christianity.
Litt.: ", Masterpiece of African art" ed. Larousse.