AkuaBa Fertility Doll, lock,AMBASSADORS COLLECTION Start Price USD 1,100.00 Current Price USD 1,100.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Saturday, October 04, 2008 End Time Monday, November 03, 2008 Location Denver, CO See more about 'AkuaBa Fertility Doll, lock,AMBASSADORS COLLECTION' Description Title: Akua'Ba Fertility Doll with  LOCK in Back, AfricanType of Object: Fertility DollEthnic Group: Akan/AsanteCountry of Origin: GhanaMaterials: Wood, pigment, beadsApproximate Age: Mid 20th centuryDimensions: 14 inchesOverall Condition: GoodDamage, Repair: worn patina, old chipsProvenance: From the Collection of Ambassador Patricia and Mr. Richard Hawkins. Ambassador Hawkins is currently the U.S. Ambassador to Togo. She has previously served the State Department in Zaire, now Democratic Republic of the Congo; Burkina Faso; and Cote D'Ivoire. Richard Hawkins is also a career Foreign Service Diplomat. Both of them have connoisseur's eyes.  The Hawkins' have collected African art for many years, and we are delighted to offer a portion of their magnificent collection. Certificate of authenticity available Additional Information: Akua'ba doll-It is one of the more familiar stories in African cultural history. Among the Akan childbearing is an important responsibility of women who are considered to have not fulfilled their purpose on earth unless they have had children and inasmuch as the Akan are a matrilineal society girl babies are preferred. The tradition of how akuaba came to be is based upon the story of a childless woman named Akua who went to her local shrine to consult with the priest of her desire to have a child. The priest advised her to have a small figure carved and to treat it as she would a real child carrying it in a cloth on her back. At first ridiculed, she was in time to deliver a real child, a girl, to the astonishment of her friends who exclaimed to her “Akua, wo ba ni” – “Akua, this is your child”. The child was named Akua or Wednesday born. Since that time barren women among the Akan who wish children will have a figure carved to keep by their side or after the child is born to place the akuaba in a shrine as offering and remembrance. As shrine pieces an akuaba is often painted with white clay to carry messages to the spirits. If kept by women at home akuaba would be dressed with cloth, wear jewelry and have hairstyles carved along the edges of the round head or inscribed on the back of the head. Some akuaba have scars on their faces, not for identification or aesthetics, but so that the spirits will not take them back. Families who have lost a number of children will cut small marks on the cheeks or temples so that the spirits who love beautiful children will be mislead and not return them to the spirit world. Lock among the Akan represents closeness or "locking one's love to them" and a power symbol. If the woman lost a number of babies early she might put a lock oto the figureto "lock the baby to her .For more information and examples See "ISN'T SHE A DOLL--PLAY AND RITUAL IN AFRICAN SCULPTURE," by Cameron.)I have examined this piece and agree with the descriptionNiangi Batulukisi, PhD. **041189** All content, including pictures, Copyright Africa Direct Inc., 2006 Add Us To Your Favorite Sellers! Please visit our About Us page. SquareTrade © AP6.0 PesaMember Place a Bid!