Fertility doll "mwana hiti" ·  Tanzania, Zaramo · ID: 3037432

Description

wood, brown patina, of typical abstract form with “split” coiffure, adorned with several strings of miniature glass beads, min. dam., small missing parts;
Zaramo female initiates keep such figures during their period of seclusion and coming out ceremonies. After the ceremony the young women wear the “mwana hiti” around the neck or hold it in their hands. The doll is a kind of substitute child, until the woman will have a “real” one.

The object Fertility doll “mwana hiti” with the object ID 3037432 was last part of the auction 78th tribal art auction at October 18, 2014 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 120 achieved a sales price of EUR 200.

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