Matriarch Deer - Ticuna Ceremonial Spirit Doll
DOLL-053
Handcrafted by Ticuna Artisans |★★★★★
The deer holds a particular position in Amazonian forest life: alert, quiet, attuned to the edges of the clearing. Among the Ticuna people of the Colombian Amazon, the deer is also a clan animal — a representative of an extended family, a line of inheritance, a thread of belonging that has held across centuries. The Ticuna mark clan animals in their carved figures by dressing them in skirts, the visual code for old age and wisdom. This deer wears a skirt. It is meant to be read as an elder, a carrier of memory, a presence that has stood watch. To bring it into a room is to bring something quietly ancestral — a watchful stillness drawn from the forest itself.
Every mark on a Ticuna figure is made by hand from materials gathered in the rainforest. The body is carved from balsa wood. The clothing is yanchama, a soft fiber cloth made by stripping bark from a rainforest tree, soaking it, and beating it. The pigments are the four traditional Ticuna colors: black from the dark juice of the genipapo fruit, red from achiote seeds, white from local clay, and yellow from earth and plant sources. The geometric patterning across the figure is not ornament. It is inherited — a visual language passed from artisan to apprentice across generations, each line carrying the meaning of the maker's clan and training.
The 16-inch deer figures are the standout pieces of this Ticuna arrival, with the scale and presence to serve as a focal point in a styled space. Hand-carved and painted by a single artisan, each is unique. A statement collector piece for those who want a single work of indigenous art to hold the center of a room.
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 one · SKU DOLL-053
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.
