AKUBA: ENCOURAGING CHANGE
Akuba - Akua'maa are beautiful wooden lunar figures that the Asante women of Ghana traditionally use to ensure the countinuity of their matriliny, or descent through the female line. Akua'ba literally means "Akua's child", from the story of a woman named Akua who, by carrying one of these figures became pregnant and gave birth to a healthy beautiful daughter.
These sculptures are washed, dressed, adorned with beads, nursed and carried on the backs of women as an act of magic - that is,
an act of encouraging change through thoughts and symbolic action.
These images resemble the shape of the ankh, the ancient Egyptian symbol for life which is related to our contemporary symbol for woman.
These sculptures are washed, dressed, adorned with beads, nursed and carried on the backs of women as an act of magic - that is,
an act of encouraging change through thoughts and symbolic action.
These images resemble the shape of the ankh, the ancient Egyptian symbol for life which is related to our contemporary symbol for woman.
I made these figures from plain calico.
The torso is filled with sand to allow it to stand.
The torso is filled with sand to allow it to stand.
