Ndebele Initiation Doll

This doll is handmade by women of the Ndebele, some of the smallest tribes in South Africa. Over the years, dolls played an important role in Ndebele culture. This doll wears the traditional dress of a married woman. The style of the apron signifies that she has born a child within wedlock, and symbolizes her status as a parent. The delicate beadwork on her outfit is one of the oldest and most elemental of the decorative arts.

• 19 inches high