Hands Around the World

 

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Indonesia

 

Sulawesi

Torajaland

The most traditional area of the Indonesian island of Sulawesi is called Torajaland or Tana Toraja, which means land or people of the mountains. In this remote area, many people still follow the "way of the ancestors". It is still possible to find the trappings for the Torajan Warrior. Helmets "Topi" and neck ornaments "Tora-tora" were worn by the Torajan warrior when going into battle, and are still used today for funeral processions and other traditional rituals and events. For the swords of the traditional Torajan warrior, click here.

A rare and collectible "Topi" or warriors helmet. The helmet part is hand carved of wood. The horns are carved from real water buffalo horn decorated with feathers, beads, and fringe.

From tip of  feathers to tip of  feathers, this helmet measures a full 3 feet wide. The wooden helmet itself is 9 1/2" in diameter and and 11 1/2" tall. Item Ta100-1332 - $242.00

Detail showing the hand carved wood helmet part of the headdress.	Detail showing the hand carved horns made of water buffalo horn, feathers, and beads.

 

Borneo

Dayak

The Dayak are to Asia as the American Indian to the Americas. They are the native peoples of the islands. The Dayak of Borneo are in 12 major tribes. Isolated in the vast rainforests of Borneo, they were headhunters until the year 1965. At this time the Indonesian government negotiated peace between the tribes, although rumors of continued headhunting have occurred. The Dayak are a very culturally intact and interesting people, living much as their ancestors have for hundreds of years.

Beads are very valuable to the Dayaks, from the time of the European traders beads have been used as a precious currency and show the family's wealth. Sometimes a single large bead was not only worth a whole village but the inhabitants of it.

The Kenyan Dayak tribe is know for being a "long ear" tribe. Traditionally, the lobes of the ears were slowly stretched over time by adding heavier metal rings. This tradition can still be seen with the older members of the tribe, but is falling out of favor with the younger people.

Kenyan "long ear" Dayak lady. Photo by Hands Around the World.	This young Kenyan lady is the artist who made the hat and dance belt shown here with her and sold below. She is the daughter of the "long ear" lady pictured. Photo by Hands Around the World.

This beautiful and intricately beaded hat is traditional from the Kenyan Dayak tribe.

7 1/2' in diameter and 7" tall. Item BoJ1783 - $176.50

 

South American Indians

 

Ecuador

 

Quichua Indians

The Quichua Indians of the Andean Highlands of Ecuador make beautiful and intricate jewelry using tagua nuts, seeds and other natural objects as well as beads.

 

Tagua Nut Jewelry

Tagua Nuts grow in the jungle regions of Latin America. They grow in a huge globe that is made of of large spiney pods. Within those pods form the individual nuts, much like a Brazil nut. Called "Latin American Ivory" they dry very hard. They can be slice, etched, or carved making them a much used art medium by the Indian tribes of Latin America.

Shown above are the pods of the Tagua nuts along with some jewelry made from the nuts.

 

Marina Montalvo is a Quichua Indian from Ecuador. She specializes in handmade tagua nut jewelry. She is shown here with a tray of her work.

 

Tagua nut long bead necklace - multicolor bright. Item JEN3 - $19.75	Tagua nut long bead necklace - multicolor soft. Item JEN4 - $19.75

 

 

Tagua nut chunky bead necklace - solid color. Choose purple, red, blue, turquoise, yellow, or brown. Item JEN8 - $23.99	Tagua nut long pendant necklace. Choose multicolor, dark purple, light purple, red, blue, turquoise, or brown. Item JEN8 - $23.99

 

Tagua nut and coconut disk stretch bracelet - mulitcolor. Item JEB1 - $10.75

 

Tagua nut disk earrings in solid colors. Select yellow, blue, turquoise, dark purple, light purple, blue, lime green, brown, or natural. Item JEE1 - $13.75	Tagua nut three dangle earrings in solid colors. Select yellow, blue, turquoise, dark purple, light purple, blue, lime green, brown, or natural. Item JEE2 - $13.75

 

 

Shuar Indians

The Shuar Indians live in the Amazon Basin of Ecuador. They are a sub tribe of the notorious Jivaro. In addition to the Shuar, there are three other sub-tribes of the Jivaro, they are the Ashuar, the Aguaruna, and the Huambisa . Although many peoples through out the world have taken the heads of their enemies, the Jivaro are the only ones to practice head shrinking. The shrunken heads are called tsantsa. The Jivaro were fierce warriors. A Spanish governor who was greedy for gold was killed by pouring molten gold down his throat. The notoriety of this incident and their practice of taking and shrinking heads kept outsiders at bay. Thus they were never conquered by the Spaniard and are called "the unconquered ones".

The Shuar are a very artistic tribe. One art form that they are very adept at is the making of  jewelry from seeds, nuts, teeth, bone and other natural objects. They are also musical and perform many traditional dances and rituals. They  make dance belts which are hand woven. From the woven part of the belt they hang beads, from the beads they continue down with the shells of nuts and/or sea shells which rattle when they dance.

Shuar women dancing with dance belts. Photo by Hands Around the World.	Shuar artist with the dance belts sold below. Photo by Hands Around the World.

This dance belt is beautifully made and bought directly from the Shuar - rare and a real collectors item.

Belt length 36". Item E100-1077 - $92.00

 

Shuar mother and daughter modeling seed jewelry they have made.

 

Venezuela

Yekuana Indians [more about the Yekuana Indians]

Yekuana Indians in traditional dress. Photos by Hands Around the World.

The Yekuana Indians of the Venezuelan rainforests are well known for their artistic ability. The are excellent canoe makers and basket weavers. They also do beautifully complex beadwork. 

 

Penare Indians

Penare Indians still dress traditionally. Photos by Hands Around the World.

 

Penare (Pah-nah-ree) Indians live in the Amazon Basin of Venezuela. The Penare are a very traditional people. They still live in thatched huts, usually on a river bank. 

 

Guahibo Indians [more about the Guahibo Indians]

Guahibo shaman - photo courtesy of Mary Lou Walberg

 

 

 

Piaroa Indians

Piaroa Shaman - photo Hands Around the World	Piaroa children - photo courtesy of Mary Lou Walberrg

The Piaroa (Pee-ah-row-ah) Tribe lives in the Amazon rain forest of Venezuela. Their mode of transportation is by the bongo, a form of dugout canoe with which they navigate the tributaries of the Amazon. They are very artistic and make many traditional crafts including necklaces made of seeds and beads, often with bones or teeth of rainforest animals as well. 

          

Mexican Indians

Huichol Indians [more about the Huichol Indians]

The Huichol Indians of the Sierra Madre Mountains of Mexico are a very traditional tribe. They still speak their native language and adhere to native customs and beliefs. They are known for their beautiful yarn paintings and bead work. They cover a surface with bees wax and press tiny colorful beads into the wax to make beautifully detailed designs. They typically take peyote before they do their art work. The peyote sends them on travels where they see things that they then incorporate into their work. They also create intricate beaded jewelry.

Huichol shaman blessing necklaces sold below. Photo by Hands Around the World.	Huichol jewelry artist. Photo by Hands Around the World.

Small beaded ornaments by the Huichol Indians hang approx. 3 to 4" long.

Item MxJ1372a - $11.50	Item MxJ1372b - $11.50

Item MxJ1372d - $11.50

Hand beaded ink pens by the Huichol. The beaded covers remove so that you can put it on another pen when the ink runs out. They fit a Bic-type pen and are approx. 7" long with the pen.

Item MxJ230a -$18.75	Item MxJ230b -$18.75

 

 

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