Among the Namji (also called Namchi or Dowayo), young men give their fiancées a wooden doll such as the present one. Women always carry these dolls with them, either in special containers or in their clothes. Once the wish to have child comes true (thanks to the doll’s ‘help’, of course!), these figures are placed on home altars or ‘bequeathed’ to the children. Normally, these ‘Namji dolls’ are carved in a standing, rigid posture with their legs apart. Their arms usually project to the sides and are angled downwards at the elbows (see cat. no. 75). The present ‘Namji doll’, with visible signs of long use, is very unusual on the grounds of its ‘lively’ pose and rich decoration: it is in a seated position, its left arm raised as if in the act of greeting. It is clad in fabric, carries three amulet bags made of leather (so-called ‘gri-gri’), four additional small, bundled protective amulets and a metal bangle around the neck, on which two British colonial coins (dated 1944 and 1954) are sewn. The eyes are made of small, white glass pearls and the arms, legs and body are tightly wrapped with chains of polychrome glass pearls (this also occurs in the case of standing ‘Namji dolls’). A very charming item, with good usage patina! First half to mid-20th century; H: 20 cm. (ME)

Provenance: German private collection.