Courtship

• The Ndbele of South Africa make ornate beaded dolls used in courtship and childbirth. A Ndbele man leaves a doll outside of the house of the woman he wishes to marry, showing his desire to marry her.
  
  

Protection

• In Cameroon, Namji dolls are made to protect the owner. These dolls are carved from wood and adorned with shells or beads. In other cultures, such as the Bamana of Mali, dolls for protection are made out of other natural materials, such as raffia or cotton.
  
  

Fertility

• In some African cultures, dolls are used to ensure fertility and a safe childbirth. The Ashanti of Ghana make round-faced fertility dolls to ensure fertility of the doll's owner. Among the Ndbele, the bride's maternal grandmother presents the bride with a doll after the wedding ceremony. The bride cares for the doll and names it; her first child is named after the doll.
  
  

Memorials

• The Ga people of Ghana carve Tsobii dolls after the death of child, especially a twin, in hopes that spirit will return to the mother of the child. The Yoruba of Nigeria also carve memorial figures, or Ibeji dolls, to represent a child who has died.
  
  

Entertainment

• Some dolls in African cultures are played with by children, though they may represent a child in the family who died. Puppets and masks are also used to entertain communities, such as the Bozo and Bamana puppet theater in Mali.