Tribal Art

Fertility dollschematized, the appearance of the head of which varies according to the region. The tubular bust, slightly bulging at the level of the abdomen, has a chest. The angular, stylized head evokes the female crest hairstyle, the parallel incisions, the scarifications and the braids of the ethnic group.
Beautiful glossy black patina.
Among many ethnic groups, the search for fertility is done through initiation rites. Wooden figures will be carved, some reflecting both genders, in many cases clothed in beads and garments. During the period of confinement, the doll, which becomes a child who asks to be fed, washed and anointed on a daily basis, becomes the girl's only companion. After the initiation, they will be carried on the women's backs, or tied around their necks. The wooden dolls (biiga), carved in their free time by the blacksmiths of Burkina Faso, are offered to little girls, as to boys, by their parents. The wealthiest Mossi buy plastic dolls. If the girl does not give birth, a larger doll is sculpted to treat her like a real newborn. The doll will not be abandoned after the child is born, the mother will continue to take care of it. If the birth did not take place, the doll will be offered as an educational toy to a child. (Elisabeth L.Cameron)