African “Mwana Hiti” Fertility Doll Kware, Zaramo, Tanzania

20th Century Tanzania Kwere Wood Mwana Hiti, African Art.

Mwana hiti, “children of wood”, is the name given to this type of figurines produced by the Zaramo and Kwere peoples living in eastern Tanzania. The head is in the shape of a flattened dome and the hair is represented by two ridges at the top of the head. The thick neck rests on the flat shoulders and the body is frustoconical in shape with the small breasts and navel. The waist is shown as a skirt flared to the hem.

This African fertility doll, known as “Mwana Hiti”, comes from the Kware region of Tanzania and is made by the Zaramo people. The doll is a representation of a newborn baby and is believed to have the power to promote fertility in women.

Measurement 6.7 inches tall