Name: Makeda the Queen of Sheba
Made by and When: Alexander/Ethidolls, 2006
Material: Rigid vinyl with 18 points of articulation
Marks: ALEXANDER/©2004 (on the neck); Alexander ©2003 (on the buttock); traditional tattoo neck markings
Height: 15 inches
Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Black rooted hair has multiple braids on the top and hangs loose in the back, dark brown painted eyes, closed mouth.
Clothes: The hand-woven ivory cotton dress is layered with satin and tulle attached skirts. A rich-colored silk Ethiopian design trims the dress and the matching shawl. Off-white panties, gold hoop earrings, gold bracelets, gold lamé sandals, and a gold pendant on black cord complete the authenticity of the costume. Accessories include a doll stand, a storybook, and a story-narration CD.
Other: The founders of EthiDolls (Yeworkwoha Ephrem and Salome Yilma) collaborated with Alexander Dolls to create a doll line to introduce girls and collectors to African women historical leaders. Representing Makeda Queen of Sheba (the first female ruler of Ethiopia) this doll is the first of two dolls produced by EthiDolls. Released approximately a year later, Queen Mother Yaa Asantewaa of the Asante is the company’s second doll. Each doll’s CD-narrated story is told by an African American grandfather to his granddaughter.
Makeda uses Alexander Dolls’ Alexandra (Alex) Fairchild Ford head sculpt. Queen Mother Yaa Asantewaa uses Alexander Dolls’ Paris Williams head sculpt.
Read more about the now-shuttered doll company here.
Ms. Yilma describes the dolls in a 2009 video interview here.
Gallery
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