Descriptions

A flat woven hip belt worn by a young woman. White background decorated with arrow designs with aluminium bell janglers that hang down from this. Triangular symbols are big arrows (misiyi) that refer to the traditional Kamba house (musonge).

Hip belts adorned women especially for dancing ceremonies. Wives would often lure their husbands with the rattle of the beads, or use them as a means to communicate when they were ovulating. Some women use hip belts simply as a fashion statement, or to help them keep track of their growing girth.


This object is not on display.