Keeper Deer - Ticuna Ceremonial Spirit Doll
DOLL-052
Handcrafted by Ticuna Artisans |★★★★★
Among the Ticuna people of the Colombian Amazon, identity is carried by clan, and clans are named for animals. The deer is one of these clans. To carve a deer figure is not to depict an animal but to honor a lineage — an extended family whose ancestors stretch back through generations of Ticuna life along the Solimões River. The Ticuna mark the distinction between clan ancestors and other figures through clothing. Clan animals are shown wearing skirts, the visual code for old age and wisdom. The figure is meant to be read as an elder, a carrier of memory. Mythological figures, by contrast, wear pants. This deer wears a skirt. It is an ancestor.
The making of a Ticuna figure begins in the rainforest. Balsa wood is gathered locally and shaped by hand into the body of the figure. Then comes yanchama: bark stripped from a particular Amazonian tree, soaked in water for days, and beaten with wooden mallets until the fibers separate into a soft, paper-like cloth. The yanchama is wrapped around the carved form to create the figure's clothing and skin. Finally, the figure is painted by hand using the four traditional Ticuna pigments — black from genipapo fruit, red from achiote seeds, white from clay, and yellow from earth and plant sources. The geometric markings reference the artisan's clan and inherited visual language.
One of only four 16-inch deer figures in the current arrival from the Colombian Amazon. The larger scale gives the piece a quiet authority — this is a deer figure meant to anchor a room rather than accent it. Hand-carved and painted by a single Ticuna artisan, each is unique. A statement work for a console, mantel, or entryway.
Details
Dimensions: Approximately 16″ (40 cm) tall
Materials: Balsa wood, yanchama bark cloth, natural pigments
Pigments: Genipapo fruit (black), achiote seeds (red), clay (white), earth pigments (yellow)
Origin: Handcrafted in the Colombian Amazon
Clan: Deer — elder clan figure (wears skirt)
Edition: One of four · SKU DOLL-052
Sourced directly from Ticuna artisans in the Colombian Amazon — purchased at fair prices to support the continuation of this tradition and the families who carry it.
- Approx. 16″ H (40 cm)
- One-of-a-kind artisan work
- Hand carved in the Colombian Amazon
- Traditional ceremonial art
Handwoven in colombia by
Ticuna Tribe Craftsmen
No. of Artisansdozens of artists across multiple communities |
Originupper Amazon River basin |
Fairly Made. Community Driven.
Each Ticuna Tribal doll is purchased directly from the artist at fair prices that support families, preserve tradition, and sustain local economies.
Handcrafted in the Colombian Amazon, these remarkable Ticuna dolls are created by skilled Indigenous artisans using traditional techniques passed down through generations. Each artisan doll reflects the cultural heritage and craftsmanship of Ticuna communities.
At RFB Woven Art, we purchase directly from the most skilled craftsmen, selecting pieces that show the finest workmanship and detail. These authentic handcrafted Ticuna dolls are collected as distinctive works of Amazonian Indigenous art.
