Description: Vintage 1970s Namchi/Namji (Dowayo) Wooden Fertility Doll with Shells & Coins.Made by the Namchi (Namji or Dowayo) tribe in northwest Cameroon, Africa.I acquired this piece from a woman who traveled extensively throughout Africa during the 1960s and 1970s and collected many artifacts and art pieces. Her recollection is that she purchased this doll in the mid-1970s in either Cameroon or Nigeria. This doll's ears are adorned with coins. The coins are Nigerian 1 Kobo coins. One is dated 1973 and the other is dated 1974. Nigeria is adjacent to the west of Cameroon. The Namchi people also inhabit the northeastern part of Nigeria but are mostly associated with Cameroon. This doll is carved from solid hardwood and is adorned with shell beads on string, cowrie shells on leather strips, and coins. The doll measures about 15 inches tall. It has an elongated neck and cylindrical body. The abdomen area has a depression with a nail and a string of shell beads surrounding the nail. The inside of the depression appears to be painted red. This depression appears to symbolize the womb. The cowrie shells on leather strips may symbolize breasts. This doll is in excellent condition with no cracks, missing pieces or repairs. All materials on the doll are original. The Namchi (or Namji or Dowayo) tribe is famous for their wooden dolls adorned with beads, cowrie shells, coins, metal strips or wire, fiber, and leather. They are considered among the finest and most beautifully sculpted figures or dolls in Africa. Unadorned dolls are played with by young Namchi girls to ensure their fertility. When beads, bells, coins, and other ornaments are added, however, the doll becomes a surrogate baby for a woman who is having difficulty getting pregnant. These dolls are often gifted to women aspiring to conceive. The dolls would have a name, be fed, be talked to, and be carried strapped to the back the way real infants are carried. These dolls are revered for their spiritual importance and symbolize lineage continuity. Additionally, they hold protective significance, placed in homes or shrines to ward off malevolent spirits. Traditionally, each Namchi fertility doll was an original work of art, individually handmade, no two were alike. Today, many Namchi fertility dolls are mass-produced.
Price: 95 USD
Location: Placentia, California
End Time: 2024-09-23T18:43:47.000Z
Shipping Cost: 7.5 USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
Restocking Fee: No
Return shipping will be paid by: Buyer
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 30 Days
Refund will be given as: Money Back
Maternity: Fertility
Color: Brown
Original/Reproduction: Original
Material: Wood, Shells, Couns, Leather
Tribe: Dowayo (Namchi/Namji)
Maker: Dowayo People, Cameroon, Africa
