Dinka tribe

The Dinka tribe of Southern Sudan have been inspiring the fashion scene  with their renowned Dinka corset.

The Dinka corset, called the Manlual, is worn by men to indicate their wealth in the (usually counted by the size of their herd). The female version of the corset is called the Alual and isn’t a corset at all, but a necklace.

The corsets are made of colourful beautiful beads and are sewn around a young Dinka boy at a very early age. He never takes it off. As he grows older and richer, more beads are woven at the back while he’s still wearing it. The richer he is, the higher the back of the corset. The Manlual can be taken off after marriage, so the man could wear it for about 20 years before he ever takes off his corset.

Manlual corset

The female equivalent, the Alual, is made up of tiny glass beads with cowries woven in to increase fertility. The Alual also is an indication of the wealth of the woman’s family – the fuller it is, the richer she is. Like the men, she wears the corset from when she is a little girl till her wedding, never taking it off.

Alual 

History of ethnic jewellery- Africa

It can show wealth with gold or precious metals or stones in bracelets and amulet or it can show power and status in society. 

The oldest African jewellery discovered was found in 2004, in the Blombos cave in South Africa. They are estimated at being over 75 000 years old and are small sized, mollusc shell beads that had been pierced. They have worn areas meaning that they were probably strung into a necklace or bracelet.

2004 Blombos cave beads

Historically, African jewellery was used to trade and barter with, mainly in exchange for cloth and food, but also more sadly for slaves.

African jewellery was rarely just ornamental, but for religion, rituals and ceremonies. Found objects are often included and can carry personal and symbolic meanings for the wearer.

African jewellery was customarily created from organic materials like hide, porcupine quill, bone, animal teeth, animal hair, seeds, nuts, husks, sea and land shells, egg shell, wood, ivory and carved stone. 

In Ghana, the coronation of kings and leaders is celebrated with a show of gold wealth. Gold bracelets, necklaces and rings all have symbolic meaning attached to the styling.

Ghana leaders

Beaded African jewellery can give out as much information as is written or spoken, it has its own language and much can be derived about history, culture and status. In southern and eastern Africa, most inhabitants can wear beaded refinement but in Yoruba culture it is confined to rulers and in the Cameroon, beads are an expression of privilege. 

The Kenyan bride wears traditional beaded adornment including aluminium 'birds' to attract sunlight and therefore the attention of her groom.