Akua‘ba doll, West Africa, 1880-1930

Carved wooden doll or akua‘ba, in stylized form with flat discoidal head, represents ideal of beauty, Asante, West Africa, 1880-1930

This doll is known as ‘akua‘ba’ (plural akua mma). It represents beauty as conceived by the Asante people of Ghana, West Africa. The dolls are traditionally carried on women’s backs like a real child. This is said to aid conception and a healthy and successful birth. The name akua mma is said to have come from the story of Akua. She was an Asante woman having difficulty conceiving a child. A priest advised her to carry a wooden doll on her back. She gave birth to a healthy child some time later. The distinctive shape of the doll is repeated throughout Asante art.