(Photographs and information are courtesy of a museum benefactor.)
Name: Ikoku Fertility Dolls (Ngide) from the Turkana people of Northwestern Kenya
Made by and When: Regional handicraft for the tourist trade in Kenya; date unknown
Material: Unjointed carved wood figures with leather and bead work
Marks: None
Height: 17- and 14 inches, respectively
Hair, Eyes, Mouth: The hair is fiber, perhaps strands of rope which have been untwisted and darkened. The eyes are inset beads. The other features are carved.
Clothes: Leather with bead work
Other: Ngide means child. See a group of four Kenya Turkana Tribe Ngide dolls at the National Costume Dolls website.
“This type of doll is carved by the father for a maturing daughter; the Turkana people believe that if the girl treats the doll as a real baby, she will successfully bear a child.”
https://www.nationalcostumedolls.com/kenya-turkana-tribe-ngide-dolls/
Gallery
The back view shows the metal bracelets (wire was used to simulate real bracelets).
Images of Turkana Women
Navigate here to see images of Turkana women.
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