halsband, namouka

Information derived from Bribri visit: Sept 28 – Oct 02, 2023.

Beads made from the top spiral of conch (Voluta) shells collected from the Pacific Ocean, strung on cordage.

The Bribri would annually travel across Costa Rica on foot to collect salt from the Pacific region – conch, which are found in greater numbers in the Pacific than the Atlantic, would also be collected during this journey. In Bribri culture, these shell necklaces are a representation of a realm of the natural world – of the realm of water. These realms are described by the Bribri as ‘trees’, in which different ‘trees’ represent different environments found within nature. Necklaces made from conch shells would also signify that the wearer had partaken in ceremonial travel to the Pacific Ocean.