Tuesday 13 January 2009

Babushka Dolls

My husband Sam gave me this Babushka doll for Christmas to add to my collection. She is small and very sweet. Once you crack her outer layer though it seems that her inner faces are a little worried……. as if they are looking out at something much bigger then themselves. Perhaps it is the immensity of the world we live in.

Metaphorically you could say that Babushka dolls reflect the inner aspects of our nature. Outside I am strong and capable, inside I am soft and reflective. As we open or peel off the outer layers like that of an onion we find our inner truth. Perhaps the baby babushka doll is like the inner child who is protected within by the many outer layers we develop as we grow into adults.

They also remind me of growing babies of which I have been blessed to experience twice. I suppose that is why they are also called Matryoshka (Mother) dolls or Nesting dolls.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love your babushka blog.

I seem to recall that the dolls were traditionally used to tell stories with each doll painted with a different scene representing main events within the story, but I’m not sure where I know that from.

I have always been intrigued with Babushkas and had never seen one in real life until I found the red one I bought in Mt Martha in the early ‘80’s.

I was so excited to find one that I just had to have it even though it was one of the mass produced ones of the time – oddly you don’t see many of them for sale any more. Lots of individual designs around these days.

Morgan Wills said...

Yes I remember your Babushka doll. I also remember not being allowed to play with it......but really wanting too! I think she better come and live with me and my girls :-)

Anonymous said...

Hey Morg,

They're gorgeous but the little one's definitely look a little worried....... I wonder what they're thinking about?

I like your metaphor of the large one representing our exterior and the smaller one's our inner layers.....definitely like a onion..................... :)

Thanks for sharing ox Kell