MALI

Dress:

Jewelry

Jewelry is important to both men and women.Gold is preferred among all the people of Mali except the Tuareg, who prefer silver. Wealthy Fulani women wear huge 14-carat gold earrings that are so heavy that the top of each earring is bound with red wool or silk to protect the ear. In the Dogon area women traditionally wear eight small rings on the rim of the ear, signifying the eight Dogon ancestors. Fulani and Dogon women also prize beads made of amber. Some beads are made of clay and stone and incised with geometrical patterns - particularly the whorl which has been used on beads for at least a thousand years. People in Mali frequently wear talismans and charms (grisgris) to ward off evil spirits. Amulets, bracelets, and rings are also used. Cowrie shells are often used to decorate jewelry.

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