An Array of Jewels in Tribal shelf
India is home to around 573 tribal groups and communities, each of which follow their own culture and tradition. Festivals are an important part of the life of these tribal groups. There are a number of tribal festivals which are celebrated by various tribes in India. During these festivals, the tribal groups wear their own traditional costumes and jewellry and follow their long-established dance forms. Whether it is the state of Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala, Gujarat, Rajasthan , Manipur, Assam or Orissa, tribal festivals are celebrated in almost every corner of Indian states. These tribal festivals are celebrated with a view to appeasing the presiding deities of the tribes.
The talk about ethnic jewelery gets its essence with a tribal folk. Give a close look at their wardrobe and you will find ample of ornaments made of a variety of metals. Just as their language and rituals define their culture and religion, so do their dressing style. The tribal are well known for covering their bare body parts with heavy ornaments, tattoos and animal furs is maintaining a timeworn tradition. History has marked the resemblance of tribal community with primitive existence, of which many resides in India. A snippet of the tribal study depicts a brief of junky jewelery enlisted below -
Khosa- a beautiful braid lock meant for stylizing the hair.
Khinwa - a pair of ear tops mostly made of brass, silver and aluminum
Phui - a nose ring big enough to touch the lip-line
Karipot - a grant decorated with shells, beads, silver and at times animal horns and teeth. Other necklace type are the Chapsari, Muhar Mala and Hansli
Chude/Chudiya - the big bangles made of silver, brass, gold,wood and aluminum
The custom of wearing the typical dangling jewelery highlights their age-old belief in magic or evil works. In the North-eastern Region of India, both men and women are found decorating themselves from head to toe, specially during the festival. Some tribes continue their daily dressing with must have one like tikli in Santal and Oraon, bangles & anklets among Chamka, and Khosa among Garo community.
Today, tribal jewelery has entered into the world of fashion and each one of us is opting for tribal custom, with or without knowledge.
What Kenya has to offer
A fascinating aspect of Kenyan culture is expressed in the form of art and artifacts that different ethnic groups craft manually, using readily available local materials. Beautifully carved wood sculptures are produced in large quantities and sold to the tourists both locally and abroad. These sculptures show exquisite detail and craftsmanship.
Other popular Kenya artifacts include colorful hand-woven sisal baskets, Maasai beaded jewelry, gold and silver jewelry, musical instruments, soapstone sculptures, tribal masks, figurines, paintings, prints, batik cloth, kangas and the beautiful traditional Kikoys (African sarongs).
Comprising of 42 Kenya tribes, the country is diverse and rich in culture and heritage. The tribes of Kenya are each uniquely known for their history, culture, values, lifestyle, language, religion, food and more.
Most visitors who have been to Kenya easily recall the Maasai tribe and their close kin, the Samburu people, as a result of Kenya tourism which has made maasai and Samburu tribe the most famous tribes because of their long preserved culture. By resolutely clinging to their traditions, the Maasai and Samburu have remained one of the few cohesive and culturally authentic ethnic tribes of Kenya. They are thus recognized world wide as a symbol of Kenya culture and are a favorite with the tourists.
Each tribe has handicrafts such as jewellery that was traditionally worn by the members. The skills used to produce these handicrafts are learnt on the job or have been passed down through generations.
Many women are engaged in the production of handicrafts, which is a flexible and adaptable source of income and employment. Most of these women live in the rural areas and an increasing number in the urban slums and squatter settlements. In some cases these women are the only breadwinners of extended families.
