Fante Akuaba Power Figure, Ghana

Morton Dimondstein, Los Angeles
Jones Collection, Santa Barbara, acquired from the above in November 1984

University Art Museum, Santa Barbara, Deceptive Realities: Authenticity and Quality in African Art, January 15 - February 24, 1991

Very good condition for an object of this type and age. Marks, nicks, scratches, abrasions, and small chips consistent with age and ritual handling. Some losses to tufts of fiber on top edge. Some fraying and small losses to attached strings of beads. Very minor vertical age cracks. Fine aged light brown patina with white and dark brown pigment. Fixed to base.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

A Fante Akuaba Shrine Figure

Like all Akan peoples, the Fante create shrines to various nature deities. All figures in such shrines are (generically) called akuama, “Akua’s children,” plural of akuaba, “Akua’s child” – which is a legacy of Akua’s barrenness in legendary times, cured when she took a carved child figure to a shrine to be consecrated. (Sometimes a figure will have a different name but these almost never “travel” with them outside of Ghana.) The image was empowered to help induce Akua’s pregnancy and the successful birth of a handsome girl child (the Akan are a matrilineal people who prefer girls as first children). Akua is the “day name” for every female born on Wednesday.

Figures like these with extensive beaded necklaces, pendants and often bandoliers are often but erroneously called “dolls.” More properly they should be called “power figures” for aiding their owners and petitioners. The “wear” the very same beaded amulets or charms, asuman in the Akan language, as are worn by priests and priestesses. Most of these individual beads are named by their owners and have specific powers to heal or solve problems of varied sorts. Some are rare and exceptionally valuable and some are accorded great power. It is said that some are worth more than their weight in gold – and the Akan, as gold mining and producing peoples know the value of gold.

Sometimes the bead-charms are held when prayers are said. Sometimes they are used to prepare medicines by being ground on a stone to produce a powder that, mixed with a liquid, is drunk by a client who believes in its power. This tradition is analogous to Muslims drinking the liquefied ink from written passages of the Koran, or Christians drinking wine considered the blood of Christ. Let us not call the Akan superstitious if we believe in transubstantiation. Rather, let us accord great powers to spiritual beliefs of varied sorts wherever they are found. Akuama that retain the beaded “prayers” prepared for them by religious specialists are somewhat rare; usually these empowering charms are removed before a carved figure reaches the art market.

Herbert M. Cole
Co-author (with Doran H. Ross), The Arts of Ghana, Los Angeles, 1977

 

For two closely related Fante Akuaba figures cf. one sold at Sotheby's New York, May 17, 2007, lot 138, and another illustrated in Thompson (1974: 53, fig. 58).