Akan is a traditional doll of the Ob-Ugrians. The Ob-Ugrian people are called the Khanty and the Mansi, the indigenous population of the Khanty-Mansi Area.
Children of northern peoples played with different toys: boys mastered miniature bows and lassos, used old harnesses and pieces of fishing nets, and girls sewed akan dolls.
They made the toy from tightly rolled up pieces of cloth. For this purpose they used not only cloth — chintz or broadcloth, but also pieces of fur. These dolls had no faces. The Khanty believed that a doll with a face would acquire a soul and could harm a child. It was also believed that if a doll with eyes was left unattended, it could be possessed by an evil spirit.
The first dolls for a girl were made by her mother or grandmother, later, they taught her to sew the akan and clothes for it by herself. Khanty people believed that a girl might be evaluated on her skills in needlework. That’s why girls were taught to sew from an early age, and dolls helped them practice their skills. Adults made sure that akan was made only from scraps of new cloth. The remnants of worn clothes could not be used under any circumstances. It was believed that the material with human scent was a human’s shadow and if someone buried such a doll in the ground, they could send illness or even death to a person.
Often, girls created a whole set of dolls that represented their family. Male dolls were larger than female dolls. They also differed in the clothing, which was sewn like real clothes — with ornaments, headdresses, belts and hoods.
The Khanty people treated dolls with superstition. According to their beliefs, the destiny of the doll is the same as its owner’s destiny. Therefore, girls took care of their dolls, they became talismans and accompanied the women until old age.
The Nefteyugansk History and Art Museum Complex houses a large collection of the Khanty akan dolls, some of them are displayed at the exhibition “Ugra Heritage”. One of the dolls was purchased in 1991, in the art shop of the Regional Museum of Local History. In 2000, it was given to the fund of the museum.
The doll was made of cotton cloth according to ancient canons. The bottom of the dress was decorated with an ornament, which is found on the clothes of the eastern Khanty — it is called “pike”s teeth”.
Children of northern peoples played with different toys: boys mastered miniature bows and lassos, used old harnesses and pieces of fishing nets, and girls sewed akan dolls.
They made the toy from tightly rolled up pieces of cloth. For this purpose they used not only cloth — chintz or broadcloth, but also pieces of fur. These dolls had no faces. The Khanty believed that a doll with a face would acquire a soul and could harm a child. It was also believed that if a doll with eyes was left unattended, it could be possessed by an evil spirit.
The first dolls for a girl were made by her mother or grandmother, later, they taught her to sew the akan and clothes for it by herself. Khanty people believed that a girl might be evaluated on her skills in needlework. That’s why girls were taught to sew from an early age, and dolls helped them practice their skills. Adults made sure that akan was made only from scraps of new cloth. The remnants of worn clothes could not be used under any circumstances. It was believed that the material with human scent was a human’s shadow and if someone buried such a doll in the ground, they could send illness or even death to a person.
Often, girls created a whole set of dolls that represented their family. Male dolls were larger than female dolls. They also differed in the clothing, which was sewn like real clothes — with ornaments, headdresses, belts and hoods.
The Khanty people treated dolls with superstition. According to their beliefs, the destiny of the doll is the same as its owner’s destiny. Therefore, girls took care of their dolls, they became talismans and accompanied the women until old age.
The Nefteyugansk History and Art Museum Complex houses a large collection of the Khanty akan dolls, some of them are displayed at the exhibition “Ugra Heritage”. One of the dolls was purchased in 1991, in the art shop of the Regional Museum of Local History. In 2000, it was given to the fund of the museum.
The doll was made of cotton cloth according to ancient canons. The bottom of the dress was decorated with an ornament, which is found on the clothes of the eastern Khanty — it is called “pike”s teeth”.
