It's all about the hands and today I am wearing another fabulous creation from my Zulu sisters in South Africa. I have named this exotic piece the Amahle hand bracelet.
It is handbeaded using high quality seed beads with the bracelet section fashioned using the traditional pondo stitch or African circle stitch. Beads are then stitched to the base and woven into interlocking diamond shapes and then attached to a ring of beads.
This hand bracelet is a variation of the 'slave' bracelet or ring bracelet. A 'slave' bracelet describes a bracelet that connects to an attached ring. The history and origins of the 'slave' bracelet are unclear but it has been suggested that the term derives from the idea of the relationship between the ring and the bracelet rather than any associations with slavery itself. This means that the ring and bracelet are 'enslaved' to one another and that they are chained to each other in a 'slave' relationship.
Explained in that way, it is easy to see why it could be called that, however I find the term quite offensive especially in todays time. It is simply not appropriate.
I've seen many striking examples, some made out of chainmaille, others even knitted and of course beautiful beaded varieties. Many of these hand bracelets are totally unique and often one of a kind.
Until next time
Au Revoir
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