Xhosa Fertility Charms

Figure 1: Ndongeni, S (2019). Xhosa Fetility Charms. 

According to Nandipha (Nandipha, 2019), an anthropologist at the East London Museum, it was a common practice amongst the Bantu speaking people to present a bride a doll as it was believed that it would aid her with child bearing. The bride was to then keep this doll with her at all times until the point when she was able to conceive. The picture below is an example of traditional dolls work by married women.

Figure 2: Ndongeni, S (2019). Xhosa Fertility Charms Display, East London Museum.

While at the museum, I had found that there was a lot of symbolic imagery used within the traditional Xhosa beadworks. I will however be only discussing those which are relevant this research report. 

Figure 3: Ndongeni, S. (2019). Xhosa love dolls , East London Museum.

The Xhosa love dolls in figures 1 to 3 were traditional worn by young girls who had the "misfortune" of not receiving a marriage proposal. These were not made by the young woman themselves, but were however made by old woman and were then to be secretly worn around the neck, until such a time the young girl received a marriage proposal.

These dolls were believed to have the ability to attract a husband.These dolls would therefore fall under the classification of spiritual jewellery.