Ancestor worship figure

Among the mintadi (singular ntadi), apart from representations of chiefs and rulers, images of women with children are also found. The figure is a woman from the lower social stratum shown in a kneeling position, carved in white-grey stone. Women from the social elite were usually depicted wearing jewellery consisting of various necklaces and bead ornaments. Scarifications, usually in the form of convex geometric patterns carved on the back and chest, and a distinctive hairstyle, often resembling a pointed cap, were also marked. The woman holds a vessel in her hands, with a child inside that looks like a scaled-down copy of the mother-woman. In traditional African communities, having offspring is still the most important measure of a woman's worth. From an early age, girls take care of their younger siblings and help their mothers prepare meals. In this way, they learn their life role of being a mother. The more children a woman has, the higher her position in the family and community. Having children is considered a blessing from heaven and a kind of investment in the future. The greater the number of offspring, the greater the chance of a parents' prosperous and secure old age. That is why there are so many depictions of a woman with a child or children and pregnant women in African art.

Katarzyna Findlik-Gawron