Polished Seeds and Tree Nuts Woven into Necklaces and Bracelets
Fashion statements move in many directions. What is popular today is gone tomorrow. And when we were children we made little necklaces from pasta, flowers and wooden beads. As we became older, it seemed juvenile and passé. But as the industrial society evolves in destructive and harmful ways, natural jewelry seems to have made a comeback. Going one step further, not only helping the environment and the earth, but handmade jewelry is helping humankind.
OMIR, The Organization of Indigenous Women of Roraima (a state in Brazil), founded in 1999, holds regular workshops for women to learn traditional ceramic making, basketry, crocheting, cloth making techniques, and natural jewelry making. One of the organizations that distributes the handmade necklaces and bracelets is Rainforest Foundation US, whose specific mission is to “preserve rainforests and support the rights of indigenous and traditional peoples who call the rainforests home”.
The necklaces and bracelets made by women from Wai Wai in northern Brazil are beautifully woven with seeds or tree nuts and naturally dyed to create delicate but striking pieces of jewelry. The seeds are polished to create a brilliant luster and the cord on which they are strung is hand knotted.
Admittedly, this is a very small collection with only three pieces named Katia Necklace, Irani Necklace, and Nadir Bracelet but purchasing any of these pieces does so much to support these women and ameliorate the adversity under which they live. It does appear as though new items are expected and considering the inexpensive price tag, these are beautifully made pieces of jewelry.
More info? Check out rainforestfoundation.org!
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