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Cultivating Knowledge of African Beads, And Promoting a Conscious Belonging to The Ancestors
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♦ African Beads as Pieces of Struggle and Survival

Being in the presence of these beads. which range from hundreds to thousands of years old, are a manifestation of centuries of ancient African culture. They evoke an elevated consciousness, sense of humility, re-enforcement and belonging.

Often termed “trade beads,” they were the essential ways-and-means of our ancestors prior to and after the enslavement of African peoples.

Grooves, patterns, and inscriptions as well as erosion in their composition represent over 70,000 years of knowledge and activity.

African beads were worn, carried, and circulated for purposes including for subsistence, evidence of one’s travels, for protection, good luck, to reflect maturation, cultural or spiritual growth, and political and artistic expression.

While our custom is to drape ourselves with strings of beads as necklaces, for some ancient Africans it was considered lavish to wear more than a few at a time.

In some cases, beads could be seen only by one’s spouse. In others, our ancestors adorned themselves with them from the moment of receipt until their transition.
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♦ African Beads as Vessels of Knowledge

The essence of these relics was that the energy of our ancestors flowed through and from them. They represented everything that was good and precious about African communities.

Ancient messaging gleaned from their markings, from warnings to proclamations of love, was transmitted by thinkers and doers in the community. Those knowledgeable ones ranged from blacksmiths, drum-makers and medicine people to healers, scribes, and farmers.

Only they understood the etchings – the code – or ancient information in each bead, and they translated that genius and imagination ingrained in their memories from one generation to the next.

Every one of them is an artifact, unique in color and dimension, with an unmistakable textural beauty. We think that speaks volumes about the “art of seeing” and feeling our ancient parents practiced.
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♦ Ancient Memory African Beads, Launched May, 2009

This vending blog is the result of a unique discussion among friends, unfolding to a collaboration through which these dense, even voluptuous beads are available for as gracious a price as we can offer.

We are excited to be a part of this process of providing this significant and fascinating reminder of what our ancestors were able to salvage and maintain. That is, even while they were brutally separated from their hearts – their children, spouses, partners and other loved ones.
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♦ Ordering Information

Purchase of one of these empowering, actualizing beads is ten dollars, including five dollars shipping and handling. Images below reflect the distinct appearance of each bead, and a visual of groupings of three or more.

They are both authentic and scarce, therefore their availability is not perpetual. From time to time our offerings will change.

“African Memory African Beads” are a beautiful gift for children and youth, women, men and elders alike. Particularly for young people, they provide a physical link between they and the Diaspora – and give parents, guardians and mentors a ‘conversation piece’ for instilling cultural rootedness and self-love.

Give one or a few beads to someone special to trigger their cultural memory or to encourage a beginning interest in a beautiful and enduring legacy.

At your request, we design earrings and necklaces with prepayment of cost of labor.
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Contact us with questions or to discuss overnight mailing at ancientmemoryafricanbeads@gmail.com

(As a secondary provision, Ancient Memory African Bead Orientation/Education Blog will offer these beads below for purchase soon).

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“Rib” Bead

These “Rib” Beads were also used for protection. The meaning of all of these beads would change depending upon what beads and other items they were worn with.

The manner in which they were worn – whether on their wrists, on their ankles, stitched to their clothing and various other ways would alter their meaning.

These beads were also used to design ancestral sculptures, giving them additional powers, and to have their wishes granted by the ancestors. All of these beads were believed to have magical powers.
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“Ancient Memory African Beads” also has a series of translucent “Eye Beads” that are older and more rare than those pictured here.

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Thank you for visiting or doing business with “Ancient Memory African Beads.”
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Bookmark “Ancient Memory African Beads” for easy access, and for storage as you continue to share this link with others.

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Photos of Beads by Thomas Featherstone.
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Photo of Blog Header by David Lazar.
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© 2009 Ancient Memory African Beads. All Rights Reserved.
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