Tribal Art

Ex-French African art collection.
Used among the Ashanti and Fantis of Ghana, the Akuaba (plural Akua'mma)doll statuettes are amulets used by Ashanti women to promote fertility. They are easily identified by their stylized appearance. Their flat and circular head has a high forehead occupying the upper part, the features are generally drawn in the lower third of the head. This doll is of an unusual type, its stretched form carrying a small cubic bust on which the breasts point.
Black glossy patina. Worn on the back of women, these statues are also accompanied by various rites, such as the ingestion of a potion, or the placement of the object on the family altar. After the birth of the child, the sculpture is used as a toy, and sometimes still offered to the healer in order to witness its effectiveness.