May 21 - Akua'ba

Children are the reward of life.

~ African proverb

I saw and was drawn to this African artwork display when on a college tour with my oldest son, and in particular this wooden fertility doll.

Some artwork is much more than art, and this is one such piece - I don't imagine it was crafted for pleasure or sale, but rather as an artifact, a talisman of hope for parents who were hoping for a healthy child.  I found myself transported while staring at it, wondering if it were cherished and hoping it was successful.

If there is any true magic in the world as I hope; somewhere, somebody is alive as direct result of this.

Instead of paraphrasing what I learned about these dolls, I'm going to quote the Wiki directly:

Akua'ba are wooden ritual fertility dolls from Ghana and nearby areas. The best known akua'ba are those of the Ashanti people, whose akua'ba have large, disc-like heads. Other tribes in the region (f.ex. Lobi people ) have their own distinctive style of akua'ba.

Traditionally, these dolls are carried on the back of women either hoping to conceive a child, or to ensure the attractiveness of the child being carried. When not in active use, the akua'ba would be ritually washed and cared for. 

Today, one is more likely to see a mass-produced akua'ba for sale as a souvenir than an heirloom in ritual use. Traditional use does, however, continue in some areas. The form of the akua'ba has also gained currency as a general symbol of good luck.

I tried capturing the form in a couple different ways.