GJPaw Auctions is pleased to offer a fine Biiga (or doll) Fertility Figure from the Mossi People, Burkina Faso, West Africa. Dolls have been with us since the dawn of civilization. They have served as sacred items and as play toys for children; and they still do today. Among the Mossi people of Burkina Fasso, young girls still carry dolls called biiga, which translates as ‘child.’ However, like most African dolls biiga are not only used for play, but also for magic. Crafted from a single piece of wood by the village carver or smith, biiga are presented to young Mossi girls as toys. The dolls are cylindrical in shape with a semi-circular head, which sometimes features a downward extension out of the forehead. Although it may look like an elephant trunk or even a phallus, it is said to imitate the hairstyle worn by unmarried Mossi girls. Incised lines in the wood symbolize scarification marks and the beauty of adulthood, while the full mature breasts depict the splendor of motherhood. The girls are taught to take exceptional care of their dolls. They wash, feed and carry them around like a mother would her child. The dolls are sometimes dressed in leather clothes and decorated with cowry shells and beads. In this regard there is little difference between the doll play of western children and the Mossi girls of West Africa. The biiga, however, do not end up on shelves when the girls outgrow them. They believe that any mistreatment of the doll will bring misfortune on their own future children. As such, the dolls are cared for until the girls grow into women and bear children of their own. In fact, the dolls are so sacred that the first drops of a new mother’s milk are given to their biiga dolls. This highly characteristic example measures 2.3 inches in width by 3 inches in depth by 11.9 inches in length (5.84 cm by 7.62 cm by 30.2 cm). The sculpture comes with a specially designed, hand-made, iron museum display stand. It is in very good condition and dates to the late 20th century. It is a fine collector’s piece for anyone interested in African art. It is guaranteed authentic.

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