The earliest accounts of South Sotho dolls claim that they are were carried by childless women, and were used to appeal to the “Spirit of Maternity” who lived in a swamp.
In hope that the doll would help her conceive, a woman named it and cared for it until the birth of her first child.
The “dolls” are neither child-like nor playthings. They are dressed in a beaded cloak that covers the conical wooden base.
The hair is made of beads and seeds, and a brass bead or flat button is attached to the head.
The figure’s adornments mimic those of mature adults, most often women, and some are dressed as brides.