akua ba

Akua ba are wooden fertility figures from Ghana and nearby areas in West Africa. The best known examples are those of the Asante people, whose akua ba have large, disc-like heads. Traditionally, women carry these figures on their backs to ensure the conception of a child and to ensure the beauty of a child being carried. Web resource here.

Screen Shot 2016-07-14 at 3.21.26 PMAkua ba. Asante peoples. Wood, glass beads, plant fiber, pigment. Mid-20th c. National Museum of African Art, Washington, D. C.