Ashanti Akuaba with Red Bead Earrings

In Akan, akua’ba (pl. akua’mma) means “Wednesday-born woman’s child.” The word is also the name of a type of portable statuary common among the Ashanti, Fante and Brong peoples that were carried by women hoping to conceive. Akua’ba are typically commissioned wooden carvings such as this older, well-handled example, but they can also be homemade or even repurposed commercial dolls. “Wednesday’s Child” refers to an Ashanti folktale about a young woman by that name who was unable to conceive. In consultation with an Akan priest, she was advised to acquire a carved image of a child and to care for it as if it were her flesh and blood offspring. By being a loving parent for the idol, she would prove her worthiness as a mother before the until-now resistant spirits. With their ankh-like forms, round heads and cylindrical trunks, akua’mma are among the more instantly familiar and widespread icons of African art and culture. Although massively produced for the souvenir and decorative trade, authentic akua’mma are less scarce than one might think. Many women carried them tucked into their clothes, unseen. This is a beautifully balanced example with unusually long arms. $1,200

14″

Inquire About This Item