BROWN BABIES

BROWN BABIES

The Egun Edition

Brown Babies is the brain-child of Mama Khandi. In the 1970's, she attended workshops with the Model Cities and Ile Ife Cultural Arts programs, learning Afrikan doll making. In the 1980's her Voodoun dolls appeared in the Philadelphia, Pa. Afrikan amerikan Museum and the community Museum at 7th and Dauphin Sts. Mama Khandi's daughter (now 25), Osunkemi, who was 2 years old at the time, appears with her Voodoun doll who was the child-doll of the parent dolls on exhibit. This series included a 4 foot stuffed doll with locks called, Loflulala named for the reggae star, and extended family brotha Edwin Birdsong.

In the 1980's, early 90's, her dolls evolved to a pin format, worn on the lapel. These Brown Babies Pins appeared on exhibit at the Afrikan amerikan Museum in Wilberforce, Ohio.

Now, in 41ADM (2005), her Brown Babies appear in the Egun (Ancestral) form of Afrikan dolls, made from candle glass of the prayers burned within them, with NO SEWING of the fabric. These dolls are not recommended for childrens play as they are breakable. The ragged fabric-edges symbolize the Afrikan Ancestral energy of her spiritual transcending kosmogony. All dolls are unique, one of a kind creations. Afrikan traditional fabrics adorn the dolls. Some fabrics are as much as 30 years old and are no longer available for purchase from Afrikan fabric salespersons, which makes them collectors' items. Fabrics include brochade, mud cloth, kinte, fancy, indigo, dyes, eyelit, lace and wax. Adornments/iconographies include bells, cowries and raffia. Bells are used as invocation, cowries (traditional use was money) and also a symbol of Yemanja (ocean and maternal energy) and Raffia is another the Egun (Ancestral) symbol. When Mama Khandi lived in Oyotunji Village an Afrikan Yoruba village in Carolina about 30 years ago, the Egungun would come into the village in full raffia from head to toe. The Egungun's face is NOT seen. As such, the face with no features is also an Ancestral symbol.

Enjoy the creativity.

All dolls are available for sale and can be purchased either online by clicking on the

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