Author(s): VAN CUTSEM ANNE

Fiction

Since time immemorial, earrings have been a means of seduction for women. Craftsmen the world over have set their imaginations to work, using every available material. Firstly they used flowers and grass, feathers and horns, wood, shells, and ivory. Mines and alluvional deposits offered stones and metals. Bold travellers and adventurous sailors set off in search of exotic goods. Originally earrings were not just decorative, more importantly they also served protective purposes, saving ears from invading spirits. As the organ for hearing, ears warn people of imminent dangers from the forests and undergrowth. Last but not least, the ear is the source of oral knowledge, a vital factor for tribes with no written tradition. Their symbolism is also rich and complex: for the Kikuyu tribe in Kenya, a person's prestige is measured by the number of ear ornaments, as long as their lobes can stand without tearing. Statues of Buddha show him with long ears. In the archipelagos of Indonesia, the suitor's family offers earrings to seal an alliance. Leather earrings with pearls are a sign of a married woman's status for Masai.
In the Philippines and among the Naga headhunters, the men's hunting exploits and prowess as warriors are embodied in the jewelry they wear on their ears.