The Year of Return earrings - Ghanaian Krobo beads, brass charms, gold filled posts

The "Umoja Collection" consists of an array of unique afrocentric pieces composed of an exquisite mélange of beads including but not limited to: African trade beads, mellifiore, pony, red coral, chevrons, lapis lazuli, turquoise, wood and white hearts. I typically utilize sterling silver, gold filled or brass findings as the hardware on each piece. The year 2019 was symbolic as it commemorated 400 years since the first enslaved Africans arrived in Jamestown, Virginia. In response, the government of Ghana launched the "Year of Return" initiative to encourage African diasporans to return and foster relationships and experience the culture of their country. These earrings were inspired by that initiative and feature the vibrant, colorful beads known as Krobo beads. In Ghana, Krobo artisans create these beads out of finely powdered glass (sourced from old bottles and jars). The powder is then placed in a clay mold and a cassava leaf stem is used to form the hole of the bead. The beads are fired in an oven or kiln and as the glass hardens, the leaf disintegrates. After firing, the beads are often decorated with brightly colored dyes or paints. These earrings feature 5 Krobo rondelles in a variety of colors - each earring has a funky mix of colors that complement the mate but are not an exact match. Below the beads is a softly hammered genuine brass fortune cookie shaped pendant. Gold-filled posts. The earrings measures 2" in length. As no two beads are exactly alike, even from the same strand, please excuse the small variations that give Krobo beads their "character".