Вы находитесь на странице: 1из 2

What Is Maasai Bead Jewelry?

By Christina Berry, eHow Contributor

The Maasai tribe, located in Kenya and Tanzania, is known for its exquisitely hand-crafted beaded jewelry The intricate desi!ns are created for their beauty, which is "ery i#$ortant to the Maasai %o#en set aside ti#e in their daily schedules, con!re!atin! to a co##on #eetin! $lace to work on their creations &lthou!h the wo#en adorn the#sel"es in jewelry that has si!nificant #eanin! within the tribe, they also sell #uch of it to benefit their co##unity

1.
o

History
The Maasai tribe resides in &frica, #ainly in southern Kenya and northern Tanzania The tribe co#$rises a$$roxi#ately half a #illion $eo$le, and a$art fro# beaded jewelry, their li"elihood de$ends on herdin! cattle Makin! beaded jewelry has been a $art of their culture for #any years, and learnin! how to create the jewelry is one of the duties of a Maasai wo#an Be!innin! in '()), the Maasai traded !oods with *uro$eans for beads, which created a new-found interest in the Maasai+s traditional jewelry that extended beyond the tribe

Significance
o

The beaded jewelry of the Maasai carries #uch si!nificance for the tribe ,ntricate and colorful desi!ns de#onstrate social standin!, creati"ity, beauty and $ros$erity ,te#s of jewelry are often !i"en to newly #arried cou$les as a !ift Tribe #e#bers #ay also wear the jewelry durin! cere#onies, or as a !ood luck wish for a successful hunt

Meaning of Bead Colors


o

Maasai beaded jewelry features "ery intricate and colorful desi!ns Howe"er, colors are not utilized just for "isual effect *ach bead color used has a s$ecific #eanin! -ed #eans bra"ery, dan!er, stren!th, unity Blue re$resents sky, which $ro"ides water for cattle .reen re$resents !rass, which is food for cattle /ran!e #eans hos$itality0 white #eans $urity, like #ilk fro# cattle0 and black is the color of the $eo$le and of hardshi$s

Types of Jewelry
o

The Maasai tribe handcrafts ite#s of jewelry that are worn by #e#bers of the tribe for #any occasions Their creations include necklaces, bracelets, earrin!s, anklets, ar#lets and headbands The Maasai also desi!n beautiful beaded collars and stitch beads on clothin! 1sually, tribe #e#bers with hi!her social standin! wear the #ost intricate, elaborate and colorful jewelry

Comm nity Benefits


o

The Maasai tribe sells their beaded jewelry throu!h "arious outlets, and the #oney earned !oes directly back to the co##unity ,n $articular, the funds benefit schools so that the Maasai children can be $ro$erly educated The *siteti 2chool in Kenya is one such school that is !rowin!, thanks in $art to the Maasai+s beaded jewelry

Massai Beadwork What This African Tradition Means


Posted on May 14, 2009 by Wayne

The Massai people of Kenya are one of the most widely recogni ed people in !frica" The Massai are #nown for their fashion$ for wearing bright colors with intricate patterns$ and for their long, %ingly %ewelry" While many people recogni e the traditional Massai style, many don&t #now that there is a bigger history, symbolism, and social meaning for the craft" 'ne of the traditions in Massai life is the habit of Massai women sitting together between their daily tas#s" (etween their times of loo#ing after the children, mil#ing the cows, coo#ing, and constr)cting homes and animal pens, women will often sit together and ma#e beaded %ewelry" *or a Massai woman, beadwor# is an important way to demonstrate both her social )nderstanding and creati+e capability" !n o)tsider might thin# that Massai people ha+e dressed )p for some special occasion" This is normally not the case tho)gh" !ltho)gh some %ewelry is worn for special occasions ,s)ch as for marriage or circ)mcision ceremonies- most %ewelry is worn thro)gho)t an entire stage of life" *or e.ample, indicating her increasing wealth and her place in life, a married woman adorns beaded nec#laces as she grows older" /ach piece of %ewelry, in its shape, patterns, and colors, spea#s of the wearer&s c)lt)re" People within that c)lt)re can tell a woman&s e.act stat)s0her age, marital stat)s, e+en whether she has gi+en birth to a son0by obser+ing her beaded %ewelry" What the Colors Mean Massai Symbolism: Red signifies danger, ferocity, bra+ery, strength, and especially )nity, beca)se it is the color of the blood of the cow that is sla)ghtered when the comm)nity comes together in celebration" Blue is significant beca)se it represents the s#y which pro+ides water for the cows" Green represents the land which grows food for the cattle to eat" 1reen also represents the health of the Massai comm)nity beca)se there is a local plant called olari which grows tall and plentif)l, as the Massai hope they will too" ran!e symboli es hospitality beca)se it is the color of the go)rds that hold the mil# that is offered to +isitors" "ellow also s)ggests hospitality beca)se it is the color of the animal s#ins on g)est beds" White represents p)rity, beca)se white is the color of mil#, which comes from a cow, considered by the Maasai as a p)re and holy animal" White also represents health, beca)se it is mil# that no)rishes the comm)nity" Black represents the color of the people b)t more importantly the hardships we all go thro)gh in life" 2t s)ggests that diffic)lt times are e.perienced by e+eryone beca)se those diffic)lties are part of the same, nat)ral se3)ence of life"

Вам также может понравиться