Soul. Distinctive. Resilient. Poised - This is the Himba Women of North West Namibia. With their dust scented ochre skin and their jewelry, these women are the epitome of grace and strength. As part of a semi-Nomadic tribe, descendant from the Herero, so much of their way and so many of their precious belongings are imbued with meaning and symbolism. One example is their hand crafted jewelry, made specifically by the women. Necklaces, beads, anklets and bangles, everything that the women make and then adorn tells a story of their place among the Himba. This is artisan African Jewelry at its finest, and of particular renown are the Himba bracelets, whose carvings and etches speak of the women in nature, nature in the women.
Journey. In their wanderings the Himba have not only moved across the plains of northern Namibia, but they have also navigated the changing times and environment so much so that their handmaid Himba bracelets, originally made from ivory and horn, are now made from up-cycled and repurposed PVC piping. What was once a water pipe, is now prized African jewelry painstakingly carved with the seeds, the dunes, with the river, the ridges, and the oryx. A journal of the lands they have roamed for centuries, held fast to the body that roams.
Love. Himba women work hard. Carrying water, plastering their homes with red clay soil, looking after calabash, milking cows and goats, caring for children. Their contribution to the social and economic fabric of their community is evident. Yet still, time is given, dedicated to the reshaping of this recycled plastic into a Himba bracelet, a thing of beauty. This time spent, this making of jewelry is, like the other work a labor of purpose. Purpose in the meaning that it conveys, purpose in the income that it raises. Purpose for their way and for their people.
Here's a little bit more about the pattern inspirations on just a few our bangles at LoveSoulJourney.