Goddess Akuaba  

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Goddess Akuaba Image
"AKUABA "IS THE PRIMAL MOTHER. SHE IS THE FERTILITY GODDESS OF THE ASHANTI PEOPLE OF GHANA. SHE SYMBOLIZES WELCOME, AND HER SYMBOL IS ALWAYS PLACED ABOVE THE DOOR, ENSURING THE VISITOR WILL BE WELL CARED FOR UPON ENTERING THE HOME. AN AKUABA IS A CARVED WOODEN FIGURE USED BY THE TRIBE AS A TALISMAN TO PROMOTE FERTILITY AND TO PROTECT PREGNANT WOMEN. A WOMAN WHO HOPES TO BECOME PREGNANT WILL KEEP THE DOLL ON HER PERSON AND DRESS AND CARE FOR IT AS IF IT WERE A REAL CHILD. YOUNG GIRLS IN MAIDENHOOD USUALLY RECEIVE HER IMAGE FROM AN ELDER MENTOR AT THEIR FIRST MENSTRUATION WITH A CEREMONY WELCOMING HER MOTHERHOOD ROLE IN THE TRIBE. AS THEY COME OF AGE, WELCOMING THEM INTO THEIR MOTHERHOOD ROLE IN THE TRIBE.

AKUABA DOLLS ARE CARRIED ON THE BACKS OF ASHANTI WOMEN WHO ARE EITHER HOPING TO CONCEIVE OR ARE PREGNANT AND HOPING FOR A BEAUTIFUL CHILD. THERE IS AN OLD LEGEND THAT TELLS OF AN UNFORTUNATE COUPLE WHO HAD NO CHILDREN. THE WIFE, AKUA, SOUGHT OUT THEIR SPIRITUAL LEADER FOR ADVICE. HE GAVE HER A BEAUTIFUL DOLL MADE FROM CLAY THAT HAD A LONG, RINGED NECK AND A LARGE, DECORATED, OVAL HEAD, AND FOLLOWING HIS INSTRUCTIONS, SHE CARRIED THE DOLL WITH HER ALWAYS. MONTHS LATER, SHE GAVE BIRTH TO A BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER.

TRADITIONALLY, MEN GIVE THE DOLLS TO THEIR WIVES, AND THE WIVES WEAR THEM IN HOPES OF HAVING BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN. CRAFTSMEN MAKE THREE STYLES OF DOLLS:

* THOSE WHO DESIRE A WISE CHILD WILL RECEIVE A DOLL THAT HAS A ROUND HEAD, CALLED "AKUABATENE."
* PARENTS WHO WANT A BOY CHILD WILL RECEIVE A DOLL THAT HAS A RECTANGULAR HEAD, CALLED "AKUABANINI".
* THOSE WHO DESIRE A GIRL WILL RECEIVE AN "AKUABABERE" WITH AN OVAL SHAPED HEAD.

UPON THE BIRTH OF THE CHILD, THE NEW MOTHER USUALLY GIVES THE DOLL TO HER CHILD TO PLAY WITH. IN THIS WAY, CHILDREN LEARN HOW TO TAKE CARE OF BABIES BY WASHING AND DRESSING THE DOLLS. THESE DOLLS HAVE HELPED TO CONTINUE THE "ASHANTI "SOCIETY'S "MATRILINEAL "TRADITIONS.

"AKUABA'S" IMAGE IS CARRIED NOT ONLY BY WOMEN WHO WANT TO HAVE CHILDREN, BUT ALSO BY WOMEN WHO WANT TO ACCESS ANY PRIMAL POWERS RESERVED FOR WOMEN AND THE YOUNG.

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This entry was posted on 30 June 2009 at Tuesday, June 30, 2009 . You can follow any responses to this entry through the .

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