Caravan Friendship Bracelet
About the Sahel Collection
The Sahel Collection is made by refugee artisans living in exile in Burkina Faso, Mauritania and Niger. Each product in the collection comes with bespoke packaging that tells the unique story behind the products.
Caravan Friendship Bracelet
Crafted by Malian refugees living in Mauritania
This handmade brass bracelet is crafted with a hammer and anvil. It features the word 'timidwa', meaning friendship, engraved in Tamasheq, a Tuareg language. Zigzag lines represent the traditional caravan routes that Tuareg traders took to transport salt across the desert by camel.
About the craftsmanship
Traditionally, the nomadic-pastoralist Tuareg people inhabit vast areas of the Sahara Desert. Much of their craftsmanship reflects their ability to thrive in the desert by making both aesthetic and utilitarian items. In the Tuareg culture, artisans belong to a hereditary caste which includes blacksmiths, leatherworkers, and jewelers. They are artisans at birth, with their own dialect and myths related to their skills and tools. Each of their handmade pieces carry the know-how of countless generations. Tuareg women specialize in weaving using natural materials or in leatherwork, tanning hides by hand. Men often practice metalworking, using very basic anvils and hammers to shape recycled bronze, aluminum, and copper into intricate tools and adornments, including beautiful jewellery.
Size:
- 6cm, adjustable
Materials:
- Brass
Note: These products are handmade and there will be slight variations in shape, size, and colour.