Belize Girls Fashion Gold Bangles Bracelets 68

Belize Girls Fashion Gold Bangles Bracelets.

By Samina Aamir. 

Back in the days when the Garifuna were the Black Carib, the women wore very distinctive bangle bracelets with a knob on either end. I couldn't afford to buy any when I lived there, and my memory tells me the bracelets were gold. (I think they were a kind of savings account.) My memory, however, is increasingly full of holes, so maybe the bracelets were silver.

I have one of those bangle braclets but it is in silver. I didn't know its significance. When I was there conch pearls were popular and I was able to have a conch pearl mounted in a gold (?) ring setting. Making jewellery and clothes were popular when we were there. My mom had earrings with conch pearls. My two prize possessions are a pair of gold hoop earrings (mexican gold) that my husband bought for me on a trip to Chetemal in 1968. The other earrings are the ones that the Maya women wear. They are flat and look a little like a happy face.

A very good friend of mine was wearing two of these bangle bracelets. They were silver and had a ball on each end. I commented on them and he said they were his grandmothers. HIs grandmother was from PG. Next time I have the opportunity to speak with his mom I will ask her about these bracelets that were her mother's and see if I can find out any more.