Akuaba. The Custodian.(2023) Acrylic on canvas/80x100cm This is a series I started to honor my mom (Aku) Females born on Wednesday automatically acquired the names Akua or Aku. The Akuaba doll in Akan folklore represents fertility. The Custodian depicts the role women and mothers plays in handing down the tradition and customs of our society through storytelling and cultural practices. The short story: …... || A barren woman named Akua went to a traditional priest for help. He instructed her to commission a small wooden child and carry it on her back, treating it as if it were a living child. This subjected her to ridicule in the village, and the term “Akua’ ba” (“child of Akua”) was born. In time, however, Akua conceived, giving birth to a beautiful baby girl. Of a sudden, carrying an AKUA’ BA DOLL became common practice, a symbol of hope for barren women. So prevalent did they become, in fact, that even pregnant wome...
