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The finest objects brought to you by {name}

Amy Wassing

Rings (yua) fashioned from the hard, marble-like shell of the giant clam were, and to some extent remain, the primary form of wealth among the Abelam people. Ceremonial valuables, yua were displayed or exchanged as part of most major rituals and rites of passage. At birth, a ring is presented to the child’s maternal uncle, who later will help guide him through the complex male initiation cycle. At
marriage, the groom presents yua to the bride’s parents, the number he is able to give becoming a lifelong source of pride. At death, gifts of yua to maternal relatives help ease the passage of the spirit to the afterlife. Shell rings also play an integral role in ceremonial life. They are displayed during male initiation, the dedication of
men’s ceremonial houses, and other occasions, as symbols of the strength and wealth of the community. The rings are so prized that a man, wishing to emphasize another man’s status or his affection for him, will address him as wuna yua (my ring).
NO BREAKS, What looks like a break in fact is a natural "grow" line
will be packed securely and sent via Courier with tracking number
we send worldwide
using a courier which is a bit more expensive but much safer and quicker


Good 

Bride price ring - fossilized Tridacna shell - YUA - Abelam - Papua New Guinea 