Doll (Biiga)
Culture: Mossi
Location: Brukina Faso
Date: 20th Century
Medium: Wood
(Photograph From ARTstor)
The Biiga figure comes from the Mossi people. The word Biiga means “child”. These abstract figures are carved from wood. Like children everywhere, African children play with toys that help them visualize their roles as adults and teach them the skills of parenting, hunting, and farming. 4 The figures are used as dolls for young girls and are also used as fertility figures. The young girl is given this doll to represent/show the idea of the women’s roles in the community. 6 The figure shows this by having prominent breasts which represent fertility, and scarification to show maturity. Young girls would carry around this figure and practice being a mother.
6 Monica Blackmun Visona, A History of Art in Africa. (Pentice Hall, 2001), 211.
4 Peter Garlake, Early Art and Architecture of Africa (Oxford History of Art) (Oxford University Press, 2002), 80.
Location: Brukina Faso
Date: 20th Century
Medium: Wood
(Photograph From ARTstor)
The Biiga figure comes from the Mossi people. The word Biiga means “child”. These abstract figures are carved from wood. Like children everywhere, African children play with toys that help them visualize their roles as adults and teach them the skills of parenting, hunting, and farming. 4 The figures are used as dolls for young girls and are also used as fertility figures. The young girl is given this doll to represent/show the idea of the women’s roles in the community. 6 The figure shows this by having prominent breasts which represent fertility, and scarification to show maturity. Young girls would carry around this figure and practice being a mother.
6 Monica Blackmun Visona, A History of Art in Africa. (Pentice Hall, 2001), 211.
4 Peter Garlake, Early Art and Architecture of Africa (Oxford History of Art) (Oxford University Press, 2002), 80.