Tall Ibibio Fattening House Doll

Rites of initiation into adulthood are widespread in traditional cultures worldwide. Among the Ibibio people of southern Nigeria, the transition from girlhood into the age of fecundity was signified through the Iria ceremony. Those who partook in Iria were called iriabos. The goal of Iria was to prepare pubescent girls for their upcoming roles as mothers and wives. A striking feature of the rite was the seclusion of iriabos into “fattening rooms” — dedicated spaces or structures where girls were spared strenuous work and nurtured with rich foods. A key part of Iria was a ceremonial presentation of the iriabos to an assembly of witnesses. The girls were brought forth in distinctive coiffures, with their bodies covered in white kaolin and decorated with lacy patterns in contrasting earth pigments.

It appears that Ibibio carvers created figurines in the image of iriabos initially as educational works and as toys that were available “off the shelf” in the workshops or market stalls along with figurative chalk spoons, rattles and other woodenware, often with related imagery. Because of the intentional beauty and portability of the fattening house dolls in particular, they became popular with ex-colonial era officers, missionaries and tourists, as well as Peace Corps volunteers and other development workers. Fattening house dolls are found in a range of sizes, styles and qualities. Some date to the nineteenth century, but they are more commonly from the early to mid-twentieth century, as this example is here. The dolls are wonderful as single accent pieces in any home or in a collection; because of the subtle variety, they also look splendid in groups.

This is an older style dating to the first quarter of the twentieth century. $350

13.5″ 

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