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Namchi NAMJI Doll Child's Toy Old African Fetish Figure
A Delightful Old Namchi Namji Doll Child's Toy Figure Antique African Art - Tribal Sculpture - Cameroon
Collected from the: Namchi or Namji peoples of Cameroon, West Africa Material: Hardwood, seed bead eyes, cloth strips, cord Estimated Period: Mid to later 20th century Dimensions: 15.5" height, 7.25" width, 2.75" depth; weight is 10.3 ounces Condition: Excellent. From a private Seattle collection, intact and structurally sound, indigenous repairs to hips and shoulders test stable and suggest authentic tribal use. Exhibits strong signs of age, wear and use, wear exposed wood presents significant patination - very nice!
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And be sure to see the fascinating AFRICAN DOLLS in our eBay store!
Namchi Namji Doll Traditions and Uses By convention, Cameroon is divided into four cultural and artistic areas - the Forest Zone, the Grassland area in the south-western corner, the Nigerian border region, and the north. The Grasslands are traditionally rich in works of art while the three other regions are known to have a less prolific artistic output. The Namchi people, also known as Namji, are famous in the West for their wooden dolls carved with geometric features and adorned with numerous multi-colored necklaces and beads. Among the Namchi peoples, unadorned dolls were made by the blacksmiths as playthings for the young girls. The Namji children were known to carry these dolls everywhere they went and cared for them in preparation for having children of their own. When beads, bells, and coins - to name but a few of the preferred decorative items - were added, however, the doll became a fetish that served as a surrogate baby for a woman who was experiencing difficulty having conceiving a child. The woman treated the figure like a newborn, feeding it gruel and carrying it on her back as a mother would a child. The decoration duplicates the adornment worn by new initiates returning to the village after their period of seclusion. In either case the doll serves as a surrogate baby that is named, coddled, nurtured, fed, talked to, and carried about just as a human infant would be. Namji Diviner's would use larger versions of these fetish dolls to assist village women with conception. Namchi or Namji dolls are considered by all to be among the finest dolls in Africa - both beautiful and highly collectible.
Recommended reading:Tribal Arts of Africa (Bacquart), Isn't She a Doll (Cameron), African Dolls for Play and Magic (Dagan) and African Art in American Collections (Robbins).
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*The estimated delivery time is based on the seller's handling time, the shipping service selected, and when the seller receives cleared payment. Sellers are not responsible for shipping service transit times. Transit times may vary, particularly during peak periods.
Please contact us immediately if ~ for any reason ~ you are not pleased with your selection. We will gladly refund the purchase price of any item returned in its original condition within 14 days of dated delivery. Our commitment to 5 Star customer service and satisfaction ensures that YOUR satisfaction is Unconditionally Guaranteed ~ NO questions asked!
The buyer is responsible for return shipping costs.
We are delighted to combine shipments and reduce your costs, simply email your Zip/Postal Code PRIOR to making payment. All major credit cards and PayPal are gladly accepted. Payment is expected within 7 days of your purchase. In consideration of discounts given, we respectfully request immediate payment on all Best Offers unless arrangements are made prior to acceptance. Please contact us directly if other payment arrangements are necessary - we're always happy to help!
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