In the case of the second object, things are a little different. While the doll's creator is known, its significance and historical path leave many questions unanswered.
Object data:
- created around 1900 by the Ondonga queen Olugondo
- wooden doll, decorated with iron pearls and pearls made from ostrich egg shells
- gift from the queen to Anna Rautanen, wife of Hermann Tönjes
- bought by the museum in 1909
What did we find out?
Conclusion:
This doll tells the story of a handmade gift exchanged between women across cultural boundaries. Throughout the years, the object changed hands multiple times, making it difficult to accurately trace back its symbolic significance as a 'fertility doll'.
With the help of Namibian students and their extensive cultural expertise, we learned historical details that go beyond the museum context.
