African Beads: How Kiffa Beads Became a Prized Possession
When I started entertaining and being with my grandchildren, one of the crafts they enjoyed (especially the BOYS), was beads – the inexpensive plastic colored ones. We strung beads for necklaces and bracelets. We made dozens of bead pets for backpacks. We could sit outside camping and the kids would come over and make project after project for hours, until we ran out of beads. Then I watched over the years how they would make and design their own projects and then teach their friends how to make beaded animals and such. It was amazing to witness and a fond memory of us together – them with their “crafting Grandma”.
I’m branching out in my view of the art of beads and beading. I’m amazed at some of the beautiful mosaic designs and art people are making with beads – used for jewelry and decoration. I’m appreciating the history and cultural value of beads and the generational importance of every country in the world’s relationship to beads – beads as decoration, beads for barter, beads for status, beads for beauty, beads for celebration, beads for entertainment and hobby, beads for art. This is the first part of a series on beads. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
Among the many distinctive African beads crafted across the continent, the tiny glass beads from the Saharan town of Kiffa have emerged as some of the most coveted creations. Known as Kiffa beads, these miniature multicolored wonders have a fascinating history and artistic legacy behind their global popularity today.
The Origins of Kiffa Beads
Kiffa beads originated in the historic desert town of Kiffa, located in present-day Mauritania. Situated on the edge of the Sahara, Kiffa became a prominent trade outpost along the Trans-Saharan routes. For centuries, merchants traveling through the region brought various beads from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East to trade and sell. Local artisans began acquiring these imported beads and experimenting with creating their own homemade varieties.
While the precise origination of Kiffa beads is uncertain, some accounts date their production as far back as the 9th century CE. The specialized skills required were passed down in Kiffa families, from mothers to daughters, over many generations. The women of Kiffa came to be considered the heirs of this long standing artistic tradition, which they carefully safeguarded.
Traditional Kiffa Bead Making Process
Authentic Kiffa beads are formed through an elaborate process that requires exceptional skill and care. The women begin by collecting broken bits of glass, scraping old bottles, and crushing the shards into a fine powder. Pigments derived from natural sources like henna, indigo, and saffron are also prepared to create vibrant colors.
The glass powder is combined with a viscous binder, often gum arabic or diluted sap. The beadmaker rolls this mixture into a long, thin rod that is wound around a metal spike and shaped into a small bead. The nearly-formed bead is then removed and meticulously rolled between the artisan’s fingers to smooth its shape.
Once the basic glass bead shape is complete, the artisan uses a thin needle-like tool to adorn it with delicate stripes, dots, curves, and geometric patterns. Each bead is dotted and decorated by hand based on the individual artist’s creativity. The distinctive Kiffa bead style includes repeated motifs in reds, blues, yellows, blacks, and whites. But no two beads ever turn out precisely the same.
Types and Uses of Kiffa Beads
The triangle beads were assembled into traditional sets of threes, with one blue bead, one red, and one multicolored eye bead. Mauritanian women wore these in their hair at the temples. Diamond-shaped Kiffa beads were also produced in red, blue, and decorated styles. Strung together with other beads and shells, these were incorporated into traditional glass bracelets.
More petite round Kiffa beads were crafted for necklaces and as hair ornaments. Cylindrical, tube-shaped, and cone Kiffa beads provided accents and details to necklaces and jewelry. The beads were believed to transmit cultural values and confer magical powers to the wearer when worn in traditional combinations. Each color and design held symbolic meaning and spirituality in Mauritanian culture.
The Decline and Revival of Traditional Kiffa Beads
For centuries, Kiffa beads were integrated into the cultural fabric and traditional dress of Saharan and West African societies. But introducing cheaper factory-made European beads in the late 1800s led to the decline of labor-intensive traditional beadmaking. As the access to foreign beads increased, the need for Kiffa beads diminished.
By the mid-20th century, the specialized skills were fading as elder bead making artists passed away without passing all their secrets to the younger generations. The art seemed destined for extinction. Then, in the 1980s, anthropologists researching African arts began taking a new interest in the captivating Kiffa beads.
As word of their beauty and incredible handmade artistry spread, Kiffa beads were rediscovered by collectors, museums, and designers. Exhibited as wearable art, the beads came to be seen as masterful micro-sculptures. Their complex patterns and visible handiwork set them apart from all other African trade beads. This burgeoning interest revived production among the female artisan families of Kiffa.
Why Kiffa Beads Are So Highly Prized
Exceptional Craftsmanship
The meticulous process and extensive handiwork involved in creating each Kiffa bead quickly earned them a reputation as one of the finest examples of African beadwork artistry. Even at 2-6 mm wide, their intricate stripes, curves, and dots reflect remarkable skill and vision.
Unique Aesthetic
Kiffa beads stand out for their muted earthy color tones, mesmerizing geometric patterns, and randomly organic shapes. The visible nuances from being shaped by hand give them an appealing aesthetic and texture.
Cultural Significance
More than just decorative objects, Kiffa beads held symbolic meaning and cultural identity for the Mauritanian and Saharan peoples. Their motifs conveyed spiritual powers, tribal values, and traditions.
Artist Legacy
The labor and skill required to produce Kiffa beads are preserved as a cultural heritage by the women beadmakers of Mauritania—their art honors earlier generations of female artists from the region.
Rarity and Collectability
As production declined in the late 20th century, the remaining antique Kiffa beads became scarce collector’s items highly valued for their age and artistry.
The Renewed Kiffa Bead Making Tradition
The new Kiffa-inspired beads produced in Mauritania today honor the old methods and designs. However, they are generally less refined and delicate than the earlier beads. Seeking to revive the lost techniques, some Western artists have also tried making powder glass beads using modern tools but have been unable to truly replicate the random imperfections that give Kiffa beads their rustic appeal.
From Desert Gem to Global Obsession
Once traded locally across the desert, Kiffa beads are now exhibited in museums and galleries worldwide. The genuine antique beads have become highly valued at auction due to their scarcity. Bead enthusiasts, anthropologists, and craft aficionados are all drawn to the vibrant history encapsulated in these tiny glass treasures.
Kiffa beads offer more than aesthetic beauty or investment value. Their symbolic motifs and visible handiwork provide a window into Saharan culture and Mauritanian women’s artistic traditions. Each bead contains interwoven threads of indigenous craft, skill, and spirituality. Strung together, they tell a captivating cross-cultural story connecting African artistry with global appreciation.
DaNell Boerup Beadkids.com 2023
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