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kenya
kenyan maasai bead jewellEry
The Maasai are an African tribe from Kenya and
Tanzania. Around 840,000 Maasai live in Kenya,
and another 800,000 in Tanzania.
The Maasai women create beautiful jewellery
made from beads. The jewellery has a lot of
meaning within Maasai culture.
Before the Maasai had
contact with Europeans,
they used natural
materials such as clay,
wood, bone, and copper
to make their beads.
the ethnic Maasai flag
But since the later 19th
century and contact with
the Europeans, they have mainly used glass beads.
The colours the Maasai use in their beadwork have
significant meaning. When you create your own
necklace based on the beautiful Maasai jewellery,
think about these meanings as you pick out your
colours.
Red: bravery, unity, blood
White: peace, purity, health
Blue: energy, the sky
Orange: hospitality
Yellow: hospitality
Green: health, land
Black: the people
map of kenya
MOO
MOO
KACHOO!
KenyaN maaSai bEad jEwellerY
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Colour in the necklace above
2. Cut along the two bold lines
3. Cut or punch holes in the two crossed circles
4. Using a length of wool or string, tie the two holes together so it will fit around your neck.
MOO
MOO
KACHOO!