In search of the seed beads

The term "miçanga" is derived from "masanga," a word of African origin meaning "tiny glass beads." Peoples from all over the world, from north to south and east to west, create stunning works of art with these trinkets. More than a mere object or concept, however, the miçanga is purely relational and can only be defined in the meeting between distant worlds. When these tiny beads are brought together, the world is "created," like a huge network of interconnected pathways in which beads of all colors, whether few or many, or transported by caravel, mule, or airplane, are transformed into ornaments, fetish objects, and works of art.

The miçanga played a key role in the relationship between indigenous groups and European explorers, from Christopher Columbus's voyage to the islands of the Caribbean in 1492 to the French adventurers who traded with the Tupinambá along the Brazilian coast in the 16th century. Brought on European ships, there was no end to the flow of glass beads reaching the shores of the Americas, where they were traded for wood, skins, and other products.

Among the Mebêngôkre, beadwork is a task done by women and they begin learning the skill as young girls. It is the women who choose the colors and decide the shapes of the bead ornaments, but their artwork is used by the whole tribe at their feasts.

In present day rituals, two major new figures have emerged: the "Queens" and the "Misses." The Queens are beautifully adorned young girls who are sent to greet government officials. The Misses are young girls chosen to represent their village in the inter-village beauty contest held as part of the Day of the Indian festivities in the small city of São Félix do Xingu in Pará.

In early pieces, it was used merely as a detail in warrior armbands made from raw cotton, or in shoulder straps woven from tree bark fiber. In modern pieces, it has become the main raw material used in weaving armbands, gaiters, shoulder straps, and slings.

Their patterns imitate animal skins such as the boa constrictor, or other animal parts such as a scorpion's spine, a monkey's finger, an alligator's tail, or a parrot's eye.

Kaxinawá bead weaving features the body painting and cotton weaving based on the primordial skin of the boa constrictor Yube. She is the master of all designs and the life-giving flows that create all forms.

Their snail-shell beads are being replaced by PVC, although this new material still goes through the same artisanal production stages.

The Marubo prefer to use drawings in their body painting, clothing, and everyday objects such as sieves and ceramics.

The Wayana incorporate foreign designs, introduced by Catholic and Protestant missionaries in the 19th century, into their bead-woven ornaments. The designs used in their adornments are the result of this cultural appropriation.

In Wayana mythology, as in the legends of other tribes, the beads come from magic trees, which had disappeared for many, many years but were returned to indigenous peoples by the European settlers.

The Krahô mix beads with seeds as well as incorporating other elements such as metal Saint Medals.

The diverse designs found in the bead ornaments reflect each woman's own creativity and thought process.

Nowadays, when making ornaments for themselves, the Krahô prefer colored beads. In a case of role reversal, natural seeds such as coco grass are more often used when making ornaments for outsiders.

Myrani, or the breastplates used in rituals, are the hallmark of the Iny. Nowadays, these Iny breastplates are made entirely from beads but in the days before the Iny had access to glass beads, they were made from red, white, and black seeds. The motifs used on the myrani come from the Iny repertoire of drawings, and are also used for seats and body painting.

Beads and feathers are two much-used elements and figure greatly in the Iny's appreciation of beauty. The women make the ornaments, which are then used by the adult men, boys, girls, and small children. Particularly remarkable are the lokura woku, which are necklaces made from various sized monochrome beads, and the myrani, which are rectangular breastplates.

For Iny artisans, the colored beads encourage their creativity and their quest for beautiful shapes. With these tiny beads, the young Iny also make bracelets, necklaces, and pendants in the shape of small animals and insects.

For the Yekuana, wearing beads means being dressed and becoming human. Babies are given their first set of bead adornments when they are four months old as part of the "Adornment" ritual.

Wanasedu, creator of all things and master of the world, made the "mayuudu" (or miçanga) beads for his grandson, Kawmaashi. He went up to the heavens to look for them so that his grandson, once adorned with the beads, could take his revenge on the jaguar that had killed his mother, Kushiimedu. Beads are able to protect warriors and they have been used ever since, according to the guidance given by Wanasedu.