Female Figure (Akuaba)
Bearing children is an essential goal for Akan women. A woman who has difficulty conceiving, or who wishes to ensure her baby’s well being, commissions an akua ba from a woodcarver at the advice of a priest. The broad head, neck rings and high forehead are indications of an ideal appearance. Throughout the pregnancy, the akua ba is treated well and after birth, it remains one of the woman’s most cherished possessions.
Wood, beads, and polychrome
9 7/8 x 4 7/16 x 1 5/16 in. (25.1 x 11.2 x 3.4 cm)
Overall h.: 10 1/8 in.
Gift of Katherine White and the Boeing Company
81.17.329
Provenance: [George Jeurgens, New York]; sold to Katherine White (1929-1980), Seattle, Washington, 1967; bequeathed to Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, Washington, 1981
Photo: Paul Macapia