Doll

Date20th century

Label TextTurkana women call these ngide or "child" and tend to them as if they are babies. When a girl matures, she is often given a doll by her parents, with the father contributing the form out of palm nuts or wood and the mother dressing it. Some are created by girls who desire children, while others are used by women who have not been able to bear their own. Successful dolls can be passed on to younger sisters. These accumulations of beads are true to the Turkana preference for red, white and blue patterning, with occasional yellow additions.

Object number81.17.1076

Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, A Bead Quiz, July 1, 2008 - July 1, 2009,

Credit LineGift of Katherine White and the Boeing Company

Dimensions4 7/8 x 2 7/16 in. (12.4 x 6.2 cm) Diam.: 4 3/4 in. Overall h.: 19 in.

MediumGourd, leather, glass beads, human hair, and fiber