More Ethnic Silver


In Borneo extremely heavy earrings made from brass were in fashion. I don’t know how the Dayak people could wear them without tearing their earlobes to pieces. My Bambara lady from Mali made a detour to Afghanistan and put on a richly decorated belt with deep blue glass beads.
                                                                                                                                                                   
 
In Guatemala I chased a silver brooch with image of a Mayan god, but I could not find one I liked. Instead, my Guatemalan host showed me a park in the middle of Guatemala City where a group of Indians happened to worship their ancient gods and Christian saints in a syncretistic celebration with dancing and singing.  

A modern take on silver caught my eye at a tiny jewellery shop in Medellín. This Colombian town was a happy revelation for me.

A lot has been done to connect the poorest barrios on the hills to the city centre in the valley. The MetroCabe a network of chair-lift facilitates the public transport in general and a striking newly built library and cultural centre on the hills has contributed much to revive these parts of Medellín. The plump ladies and gentlemen of Fernando Botero who hails from Medellín are populating the centre.                    

My preferred gemstone being out of my reach I resigned myself to a tourmaline nearly as green as an emerald but much, much cheaper. My South African lady friend who is hailing from Namibia where her father has prospected found it for me in her home country.

           

                      © above reddbiblioteca..org.cr, middle USA-Reiseblogger, pixabay, below uracozan.blogspot.com                 

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