Viva la Virgen
Eco-friendly Tribal Chic handmade Jewels for Free Souls
Kochis or Kuchis (from the Persian word: Ú©ÙˆÚ† koch; meaning "migration") are Afghan nomads similar to Arabian Bedouins, primarily from the Ghilji tribal confederacy.
Kochis historically abstained from politics, because they are nomadic, but under Afghanistan's constitution, they were given ten seats in parliament.
Since 1979, Afghanistan has to face many phases of war. The direct effect happened to the innocent people who wanted to live with peace. They started introducing their local art to the world to get survival. This trend also got popularity because of kuchi being in same unique antique style and condition from the thousand years. Kuchi has gained popularity definitely with modern gypsies. The people in Afghanistan and Pakistan Pashton people are involved in making jewelry on commercial level now.
The jewelry of these wandering peoples incorporates design elements from many cultures including those of India, the Middle East, Central Asia and the tribal areas of the former Soviet Union.
These jewelry artists used coins, bells, and large colorful glass jewels to produce lovely chokers, necklaces, cuff bracelets, pendants, belts, rings, earrings, headpieces and more completely by hand, often in centuries-old designs. These pieces sometimes incorporated beadwork or embroidery.
Kuchi jewelry, like the jewelry of India and other tribal places and peoples, often incorporates jewels of transparent colored glass set in with beeswax and backed with foil to reflect light in every shade of the rainbow. Shining mirrors, metallic thread, colorful beads, pom poms, cloves and other fragrant materials, bright fabrics and thousands of different kinds of dangles and bells also serve to attract the eye and ward off evil spirits.
The styles and uses of tribe’s wearing kuchi jewelry is the same as they were used to be 3000 years back. This is the main uniqueness of Afghan jewelry which make it special and different from any other ethinic jewelry.
Kuchi jewelry is also referred to as ” ethnic jewelry”, “gypsy jewelry”, ”tribal jewelry” or widely famous as “Afghan Tribal Kuchi jewelry“.
Kuchi tribes use sterling silver, German silver and gillet material to make handmade jewelry by mixing of many gemstones such as famous Lapislazuli. Lapislazuli itself has been in the Afghanistan back to 6000 years. Afghanistan is has major reserves of lapislazuli in the world having very fine quality.
