Black Dolls

Such elaborate outfits!

The Mingei International Museum's exhibit on Black Dolls was just breathtaking. I spent close to 3 hours gazing at these dolls that had so many stories to tell. In a day and age when Barbie (who incidentally is banned from our house), and Disney Princesses have become the defacto choice of dolls for little girls everywhere it was refreshing to see dolls with a different skin tone, from a different time.

Coconut shells for heads!

Apparently the models started crying, and so they ended up as crybabies

Were these dolls made by the slaves for the white children left in their care, or were these dolls made for their own children? We don't know for sure. It seems highly unlikely white children in late 1800s, early 1900s were given these black dolls as playthings, although there was one photograph to prove it was not completely out of the question. It was also nice to know that sometimes boys too got these dolls as gifts.

Some of the dolls were so elegantly dressed. Were these the aspirations of a suppressed population? Other dolls seemed to have a patchwork quilt of an outfit - i was told that maybe the mothers let their young daughters make these clothes as a way to teach them sewing.

Look at the wrinkles on her face. No Botox can create such a beauty!

But what was remarkable was the variety of materials used - whether it was coconut for a head, leather, wood - the unknown artists managed to evoke so many variety of expressions from these dolls.

Wooden dolls that were used for entertainment. Reminded me of the Indian "marapachis"

In many ways this is an exhibit every child should see. It is a celebration of diversity and a discussion around the definitions of beauty.  Many thanks to the Mingei Museum for all the work they do that reflects and celebrates the Multicultural society that we live in.