They transcend decorations, representing my cultural background, resilience, and the powerful bloodline of the Senegalese flowing in me.
A Familial Thread
When I was just nine years old, a precious moment that I would forever cherish unfolded. With a sweet grin and comprehension of the desire evident on my face, my mom offered me a pair of colorful orange African waist beads that she had made herself. For weeks, I had incessantly pestered her for beads of my own, as I had seen her, as well as my grandmother and aunt, wearing them. At the time, I did not fully comprehend the cultural significance of waist beads in African culture (specifically our Senegalese and Malian culture), but I was ecstatic to receive my own after seeing how beautiful they looked sitting on the hips of the women in my family. Over time, I would go on to analyze the orange waist beads and attempt to fully comprehend the cultural significance, as well as how the color orange functioned as a conduit in this exploration.
When I was young I had not really contemplated the choice my mom made in choosing the color orange for my waist beads. It was not until recently that I decided to ask. She simply stated, “I thought that orange would look beautiful on your skin,” and I nodded my head in agreement. The color orange has properties that go beyond its shade and arouse feelings of energy, excitement, and warmth. It is one of those colors that you cannot help but look at. I also believe that in some way, even if not intentional on my mother’s part, there is a riveting correlation between the personal and cultural significance of waist beads in African culture and the history of the color orange itself. The name “orange” comes from the French word “orenge,” which is derived from the Sanskrit word “naranga,” which refers to the bitter orange tree, as explained in the article by “My Modern Met.”1 Early humans could use orange as a visual clue for ripeness and edibility, since they were present in fruits like oranges and pumpkins in their natural habitats. However, the history of orange as a color and symbol is also fascinating. Craftsmen used an ancient natural mineral called realgar for its vivid color. However, the ancient Romans and Greeks used the crocus flower as their favorite plant-based dye. In the various historical contexts, orange has symbolized warmth, vitality, and spirituality. The color orange carries deep significance concerning its impact on human culture. Even today, it is captivating to observe how orange may evoke a plethora of emotions depending on the cultural group using the color.
Additionally, upon being conscious of the history of the color orange, I begin to see the ascribed importance of the color within the waist beads. Traditionally, African waist beads are used to symbolize a woman or girl’s femininity, and much like the historical symbolism for the color orange, African waist beads are also used as a channel for African spirituality. The warmth of the color can be tied to the familial importance the waist beads hold in my family, as the beads serve as a loving rite of passage, exemplifying our feminine African identities. Furthermore, there is an emotional response associated with the color. My mother gave me these beads as more than an accessory because they contain a plethora of familial love, cultural heritage, and history about who I truly am. The energy and vivacity of the color are as fiery as the love that bonds each of the women in my family. This color acts as a medium for some of the most powerful human emotions: waves of nostalgia, deep affection, and identity. Overall, the beads are a visual language telling a woman or girl’s life experience, her relationship with her faith, and the bond she has to her heritage. The waist beads thus became a living image representing the connectivity of the women in my family, as I had come to learn that almost every woman in my close bloodline wore similar beads around their waist. The donning of such beads therefore evolved into a conscious act as a tribute paid to those who bore me in mind, whose tales are inscribed within the thread of our culture.
Notably, as a young girl, I was amazed by the meticulous artistry and skill that it took to make this beautiful set of waist beads. Making the waist beads can be an incredibly tedious process that involves a series of steps. When I asked my mom how she made them, she described that first she carefully selected the vibrant beads. Next, she would go on to assume the measurement of my waist, although she never actually properly measured my waist and when I asked how she knew the exact length she would have to cut the elastic cord she simply laughed and said “Mother’s intuition.” She would then go on to string the crystal glass beads in a specific sequence, going back and forth between a large orange bead and a smaller one; this would require patience and precision to ensure that the final design was aesthetically pleasing and culturally authentic. The task demands a keen eye for detail and a steady hand to achieve the desired length and fit for each strand. When she was done adding all the beads onto the elastic string, she would tie a knot over and over to secure the waist beads and make sure it did not untie. The result of her work would be the beautiful orange beads. After finding out the process of making waist beads, I appreciated the gift even more, knowing the amount of effort my mom put into it.
Upon receiving the beads, it was the physical attributes of the orange waist beads crystals that specifically entranced my early adolescent eyes. The crystal orange beads captivate more than just one’s visual senses; the effect of the beads is felt through time. The brilliance of the orange glass is remarkable, and each of these beads exudes life and radiates like little crystal suns. Apart from catching the eye, the luminosity produces a feeling of warmth and liveliness, making the beads especially enticing. The beads accentuated my already warm complexion and brought it into unison with the intense orange color. Another intriguing factor of the beads was their crystal form. When light enters the glass material with its crystalline structure, it has a prismatic reflection, as if light was dancing along with the beads. The beads moved with each step producing a fascinating prismatic show with enticing hues of orange color creating a live dynamic visual perception. It was evident that the material was glass because running one’s fingers along the surface revealed the coolness and smoothness inherent in the material. The combination of visual brilliance, intensity of color, crystalline reflections, and tactile sensations combined to form a whole, an experience beyond decoration.
In conclusion, the orange crystallized waist beads I received from my mother cannot be relegated to being just accessories but form a significant part of who I am. These beads have become increasingly significant over almost a decade, telling a story that is entangled with my culture and illustrates the deep bond among the women in my family. The elegance in which my mothers wove the beads with patience and true dedication is what gives this magnificence of beauty its extraordinary value. They transcend decorations, representing my cultural background, resilience, and the powerful bloodline of the Senegalese flowing in me. This is a string of love beads connecting generations, inherited from strong women wearing the same jewelry, jewelry that indicates continuity and survival. They are as if a rainbow colored flashlight lit up my childhood to explain what I am made of. Waist beads were worn by the generations preceding me, and they passed the tradition on to me. Now, I carry on the tradition of wearing them. I hope that their continuity will live on in the generations following after mine. Therefore, I use family to give meaning to the warmth of the orange glow that signifies a love that will continue to burn for all times.