Female Figure (Akua'ba)

Among the Fante and related peoples the desire for children is expressed through rituals that may include the fabrication of a stylized figure called akua’ba. Because women are highly valued in Fante society for their procreative powers, female figures are favored over male ones. Adorned with beaded necklaces, waistbands, and anklets, and sporting a horned hairstyle that was fashionable in the 19th and early 20th centuries, this example’s features reflect local ideals of physical beauty.