betrothal necklace, unrecorded Maasai artist

Exhibition Label: "Roots and Journeys: Encountering Global Arts and Cultures," Jun-2013, Cassandra Mesick Even before entering adolescence, a Maasai girl will receive gifts of beaded jewelry. Any member of her local community might offer her these tokens of appreciation to acknowledge her feminine beauty and graceful comportment. As the young girl matures into adulthood, however, her adornments begin to indicate the successful completion of various life transitions. This pair of necklaces, comprising concentric rings of colorful beads tightly strung on wire, signals the impending transformation from unwed girl to married woman. The wider beaded collar is worn upon her initial engagement; at the time of marriage, the smaller necklace would be placed around her neck, fitting snugly inside the collar. The set thus functions in much the same way as an engagement ring and wedding band do in many parts of the Western world. Archive label, 16 February 1989: The larger betrothal necklace is worn at time of celebration to signify that the young woman is to be married. The smaller wedding necklace completes the set. The young woman may have been "spoken for" even before her birth. marriage usually takes place in her puberty years. "...the modern, educated women...now object to this practice in that they often find themselves married to an old man and have no choice in the matter.