Akua-ba" fertility doll. Ashanti, Ghana. Refined... Lot 37

Akua-ba" fertility doll. Ashanti, Ghana. Refined finish and patina. Carved wood and decorated with 3 beads at the base. Circa 1940. H 25,5 cm including base X 10 cm According to the rite, the Akua-ba" dolls must be worn on certain days, the future mother must also drink potions and bathe or wash with infusions. When the child is born, the doll is given to the healer to thank him, and he adds it to his hotel, the more dolls he has on his altar, the more his power grows. Or they are given to children as toys at their birth. It was also believed that a beautiful doll would influence the birth of a beautiful child. If the woman did not give birth to a child, she would keep her doll and bury it with her. Provenance: French private collection, Lille. Collection of Dr Smits, Belgium. A certificate from M Humblet accompanies this work.