Tribal Art

Fertility symbols in African art Ashanti
This stylized female figure is called Akua'ba (plural Akua'mma). It has traditional features: a flat, circular head surmounting a tubular bust with horizontal arms. A similar miniature effigy, depicting the child, is housed in the textile of which it is draped. These stylized wooden effigies were worn by pregnant women, huddled in their loincloths, to ensure the arrival of beautiful children. The overwhelming majority of these statues are female, with breasts.

Shanti are one of the ethnic groups of Ghana (formerly "), part of the Akan group, living in a forested area. Like other people living in the central and southern part of Ghana, she speaks a language of the Twi group. This people regard women as the final arbiter of all decisions. Fertility and children are the most common themes depicted in Ashanti wood carvings.