Body Jewelry

Maasai Pattern Napkin Rings Set of Four $39.99 The Maasai are a semi-nomadic people living in southern Kenya and northern Tanzania along the Great Rift Valley. Intricate beadwork has been an art form of Maasai women for centuries. The colorful jewelry is worn by both women and men in Maasai society. These napkin rings wre handmade in Kenya by Maasai women. There may be slight variations in color and pattern of handmade items. Your purchase emp...

Inspirations of the Great Spirit: Native American Lyric Tales INSPIRATIONS OF THE GREAT SPIRIT...Is a CD collection of 20 narrated lyric stories penned by Native American Lyricist Richard Bell. He is of Tahue (Taway) heritage which is a subgroup of the Apache people of the Southwestern US. The stories relate his experiences while visiting Native Americans from many different cultures. He lived on the Paiute Reservation at Pyramid Lake Nevada and learned a lo...

Tribal Treasures: Bracelet Workshop with Sharilyn Miller $29.95 This is the 150 minute wire-art jewelry making tutorial you have been looking for. Tribal Treasures Bracelt Workshop takes you through all the basics needed to craft your own stunning designer jewelry. Learn a wide variety of wire wrapping techniques by following the step-by-step instructions offered by Sharilyn Miller, international jewelry instructor and author of Bead on a Wire....

Cardio-Tribal Belly Dance $19.94 Cardio-Tribal Belly Dance is a low-impact workout that uses easy belly dance moves with repeated steps that gradually increase your heart rate and keep it at a healthy level throughout the workout. This video features multicultural working women who dance/exercise for fun. While you'll learn lots of belly dance steps - such as camels, Mayas, turns, shimmies, hip sways, snake arms, and layering - ...

The Piercing Bible: The Definitive Guide to Safe Body Piercing $12.11 The Piercing Bible The BEST Piercing Guide available on the Market today!! A Definitive Guide to Safe Body Piercing Piercing pioneer Elayne Angel has performed over 40,000 piercings since the 1980s and has brought many practices, such as tongue-piercings into the mainstream. She brings knowledge to this groundbreaking manual that covers everything you need to know about the piercing. # Includes:T...

Mother Earth Spirituality: Native American Paths to Healing Ourselves and Our World (Religion and Spirituality) $8.35 This book describes the native American paths to healing ourselves and our world. The author teaches how to reconnect with and heal our wounded earth....

Africa Adorned $75.00 ...

Stainless Steel Money Clip - Tribal Design Carbon Fiber $9.00 316L Stainless Steel Money Clip - Tribal Design Carbon Fiber. Dimension: Height: 52.60mm Width: 5.48mm...

Tribal Tiki Luau Mask Necklaces (1 dz) $7.99 Add a little extra pizazz to your next Hawaiian themed party with these tribal tiki mask necklaces. With their fun authentic design, everyone will love to receive these in goody bags or as door prizes. ...

Twilight New Moon Antique Brass Pendant/Choker (Quileute Tribe) $27.99 Twilight "New Moon" Antique Brass Pendant/Choker (Quileute Tribe)...

Bracelets And Other Adornments Throughout Our History

If two things set humans apart from every other species on the planet, it's the fact that we wear clothes and we like to adorn ourselves with things. Anthropologists have found evidence of personal adornments like bracelets, necklaces and other jewelry as far back as they've found tools. It just seems to be something we do.

It is still an open question just why we do adorn ourselves. It sounds silly at first, but some say it is because we are insecure as a species. Unlike other species, our hairless bodies and lack of claws made us have to think in order to survive. In many ways, we are not superior to other species. We could be said to be nature's outsiders.

Be that as it may, it is a fact that humans wear adornments. We do this for a variety of reasons, one of them being to identify ourselves as part of a tribe. It may not seem that way in our Western societies, because we have so many styles to choose from. But if you think about it, it is as true of us as it is for smaller indigenous societies.

As human beings, we need to feel like we're part of a tribe. The whole is too overwhelming. So, we pick a subculture to belong to, according to our talents, our aspirations, our backgrounds and a host of other reasons, both conscious and unconscious. Some of us identify with goths and wear clothing and jewelry that reflects that tribal affiliation. Some of us wear gold watches, in order to display our affiliation with the more affluent classes.

We also choose our adornments according to occasions. That, too, has tribal origins. Indigenous peoples wear certain makeup and jewelry including a necklace for going to war, for religious ceremonies and for births and funerals, among other things. We choose our bangles according to whether we're going out on the town, to work or to a Christmas party.

Why else do we adorn ourselves? While a simple straw hat may be entirely utilitarian in nature, it also reflects our status or role in our community. There is nothing utilitarian about a top hat, though. The top hat is simply a symbol of status. Literally and figuratively, it shows that a man "stands above" others in society.

Then there is the issue of personal choice. We are individuals as much as we are part of a larger group. While there may be certain types of jewelry, clothes and other adornments we wear, we also have personal tastes and express our individuality through individual adornments.

Next time you are looking at bracelets and other personal adornments in your jewelry box, think about the story they are telling. It will be a story as old as humankind.