In modern day Ghana, the Ashanti tribe, also known as the Asante, are a prominent ethnic group, with a rich history dating back to the Seventeenth Century AD. The Ashanti Empire, founded by Osei Tutu in AD 1701, became one of the most powerful and influential empires in West Africa, primarily due to its sophisticated military structures, wealth from the gold trade, and centralised political system. Their unique system of governance, revolving around the King (Asantehene), consists of a hierarchical structure that integrates the political, social and religious aspects of Ashanti life, consisting of institutions like the council of chiefs and elders which supports the King, and ensure the smooth selection of his successor through he complex matrilineal line of succession. Culturally, the Ashanti are well-known for their rich artistic and musical traditions, as well as their vibrant festivals. The Kente cloth, a hand-woven textile of bright colours, is perhaps the most symbolic of the Ashanti wares, and plays an important role in ceremonies. But perhaps the greatest symbol of the Ashanti is the Golden Stool, the sika dwa kofi, which supposedly descended from the heavens to the first King, and which became symbolic of Ashanti resistance to colonial rule. Their fierce defence against the British in the Nineteenth Century AD was well known, and remained a thorn in the side of the British for decades. Although the British finally annexed the Empire in AD 1902, the Ashanti maintained their fierce independence and cultural autonomy.

One of the most iconic representations of Ashanti cultural independence, and indeed of their close links to other Ghanaian peoples, are their widely-renowned fertility figures. These figures, known as Akua'ba (plural: Akua'mma), are traditionally created as fertility aids for women seeking to conceive. The typical Akua'ba figure features a flat, disc-like head with a high forehead, small facial features, and a cylindrical body with short, stubby arms. The exaggerated head is often interpreted as symbolizing the Ashanti ideal of beauty, emphasizing the importance of a healthy, well-formed child. The origins of the Akua'ba figure are rooted in the story of a woman named Akua, who, after struggling with infertility, was instructed by a local priest to carry a wooden child figure and care for it as if it were real. Following this practice, Akua was said to have conceived a healthy child, and the tradition of crafting and using Akua'ba figures was born. Akua'ba figures are believed to embody powerful spiritual and symbolic meanings, functioning not only as fertility charms but also as protective talismans for pregnant women. The figures are often carried on the back or placed in shrines, where they are ritually bathed, adorned, and cared for to invoke the favour of the spirits. Over time, the Akua'ba figure has transcended its original purpose, becoming a symbol of femininity, fertility, and motherhood within Ashanti culture. It is also a popular art form, with modern interpretations of the figure created for both ritualistic and decorative purposes. The widespread recognition of the Akua'ba figure in global art and culture underscores its enduring significance and the rich cultural heritage of the Ashanti people. Today, these figures remain a potent reminder of the traditional Ashanti beliefs in the interconnectedness of spirituality, beauty, and the human experience.

This remarkable figure follows the traditional form of Akua’ba dolls, with a large disk-like head, with small facial features grouped at the middle and bottom, giving the impression of a large forehead which is said to mimic the rising sun. The neck, punctuated by folds of fat, represents the Ashanti association between buxomness and fertility, as well as their ideal of beauty. Her cylindrical body and slender arms – sometimes not included in Akua’ba figures at all, or else rendered as cruciform nubs – are held by her side, caressing her distended stomach in a sign of fertility. Her torso terminates in two stocky legs, with substantial buttocks, which are bent as though in a position of powerful movement, or perhaps in preparation for childbirth. The closed eyes assimilate this figure with the spririt of the legendary ancestor Akua. She wears a necklace of striped glass beads – a valuable import from European traders – and a belt of glass and coral beads. In this, she is decorated as a woman of high status, perhaps befitting the aspirations of the individual who commissioned her.