In Afro-Brazilian traditions, the necklace accompanies life's transitions, thresholds, and revelations. It represents protection, transmission, belonging, and spiritual growth. Each bead, each knot, tells the story of a rite, a rebirth. Inspired by these practices, our necklaces become elegant talismans—sacred jewelry to mark the before and after.
NECKLACES IN INITIATION RITES
When Babá Claudio mentioned the Egungun cult, a certain reserve shone through in his words, piquing my curiosity. In fact, the very term Egungun sounds like an invitation! However, I understand that the rite carries certain risks: invoking the spirits of the ancestors to pay them homage implies that they return to the afterlife. Otherwise, the spirit could haunt the members of the community. "It's a very restricted rite," Babá Olakunde, a priest I contacted seeking information, eventually told me. After lengthy phone conversations—or rather, a series of voice messages on the app with the green icon—the Babalorishá finally invited me to join him at his house dedicated to Afro-Brazilian religions, located on the São Paulo coast.
Upon my arrival, a surprise awaited me: the community was gathered for the initiation of several members into Candomblé. I then grasped the full significance of this step in their spiritual journey, capturing through my camera lens the emotion emanating from this symbolic passage. As for the spirits of the ancestors, they would have to wait a little longer before making their presence known.
Baba Olakunde explains to me that Candomblé is a religion that accompanies the devotee throughout their life. The ritual begins with a period of seclusion of varying length—often twenty-one days—during which the faithful enter into communion with their Orisha. They make some of the beaded necklaces themselves, true symbols of protection and spiritual connection. After seven years of initiation, the iaô becomes an ebômi and can perform the function of
Babalorisha. Baba Olakunde will add that "all priesthoods have been iaô, but not all iaô will be priesthoods."
Among the disciples undergoing initiation, I met Roni Omo Osoniyn, intently working on his beaded necklace: "They are made from different materials and colors, depending on their use, their meaning, and the wearer's status." I learned that these jewels are much more than mere ornaments: they reflect each person's membership and position within the cult. Once woven, they must be consecrated according to specific rituals.
The iaô first receives the pearl necklace of Oshalá, who, in religious syncretism, corresponds to Jesus Christ. Deity of white, father of the Orishás, "he embodies the primordial energy from which everything emanates and to which everything returns," emphasizes Roni Omo Osoniyn as he continues his explanation.
Leaving the initiates to their bead-spinning, Babá Olakunde suggests we visit the religious center. The large building hosts Candomblé festivities, while a more modest structure is dedicated to another Afro-Brazilian religion, Umbanda. According to Babá Olakunde, while Candomblé is linked to the forces of nature, Umbanda invokes the spirits that have shaped Brazilian history. It thus incorporates symbols from Catholicism, Spiritism, Amerindian traditions (Caboclo), African slaves (Preto Velho), sailors, and the Orishas.
Finally, after sharing a hearty feijoada with the community – a typical Brazilian dish from the colonial era – it was with deep gratitude that I received my first Oshalá bead necklace from Babá Olakunde: “It protects the wearer,” he said, placing it around my neck.