Incredibly rare Akwaba (akuaba) brass statue from the Ashanti (Asante) people of Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire depicts a family of three; mother, father, and child. While most akwaba statues are made of wood and depict a single figure, this one being metal and representing a whole family makes it all the more special and unique.
Akwaba statues represent fertility and would be ritualistically held and given offerings to at shrines by girls and women to promote healthy beautiful offspring. The iconic round face, large forehead, and ringed neck are all beauty ideals in Ashanti culture.
This piece shows signs of age, patina, and shrine usage.
