Nomadic Priestess offers a new generation of soulful jewelry that carries on the stories, wisdom, and power of indigenous North African history & culture.
The Inspiration
From kiosk to kiosk, the Moroccan “souk” or marketplace is stocked with shiny jewels. Each storefront glitters with promise, tempting customers with the lure of silver and gold. However, the shopping experience, while overwhelming at first, quickly loses its spark – the initial excitement fizzling out in the face of a generic selection of rings and necklaces that the eye begins to gloss over in each shop window. A hustle and grind to produce and sell – aimed at waves of new and unsuspecting tourists – seems to have diminished the artistry, the wonder, and the evolution of this traditional art form. One that has its roots in soulful culture and history.
Talismans for Blessings & Protection
Morocco’s speciality in handcrafted silver jewelry is not only due to the fact that it’s one of the world’s leading suppliers of the precious metal. In fact, the now dying artisanal craft is the culmination of a unique history of trade and lore.
Silversmithing itself was brought over by Jewish immigrants who found peaceful refuge within Morocco’s local villages while fleeing from persecution in neighboring Andalusia. These skilled artisans shared their traditional processes and tools with their new communities, and quickly developed a flourishing practice.
Many of these artists specialized in creating customized pieces for women on their wedding day. A Moroccan groom would commission handcrafted silver adornments as gifts for his bride, which served not only as precious heirlooms but also as financial security. These pieces offered a sort of collateral – and peace of mind. If the woman was to become widowed or if the family was to face any financial hardship, she could sell or exchange her valuable jewelry for cash. This offered women significant power for a country that has been slow to expand their legal rights in many areas.
Often these bold pieces – headdresses, cuffs, and pendants – would incorporate hand-etched designs and symbols that captured the essence of the bride’s personality and tribal lineage. Artists would also infuse a diverse blend of traditional and religious motifs into their designs, a reflection of Morocco’s history of peaceful co-existence between people of Jewish, Islamic, and indigenous North African faiths and heritage. These heirloom pieces, which inspired their modern predecessors, were etched with florals, sacred geometry, and amulets such as the six-pointed star and the Evil Eye, making them powerful talismans for blessings and protection.
A Return to Soul
At a time when many of us around the world are searching for a return to meaning, we are starting to look within to inform what we adorn externally – from aesthetics to ethics. Part of this consciousness journey starts with understanding who we are at a soul level.
What is our truth? What do we long to express? What purpose do we have in this lifetime? What will bring us true fulfilment in a world full of options?
We are searching for pathways of self-expression that align to who we are – including living according to what we believe in, and expressing our unique gifts and perspective. Every aspect of how we show up in the world, from how we share our time and energy, to how we adorn our physical bodies, plays a role in telling the story of who we are and what we stand for. All of it – every choice, every action, every statement, matters.
With greater awareness, we are realizing that the highest potential of our lifetime is to discover, create and tell the authentic story of who we are, at our core. To discover more of our soulful divine essence, and embody more of it each day. There are two clear paths before us – one led by our internal voice or the external opinions of others. One that is deeply soulful or one that is simply superficial. One that focuses on survival or one that prioritizes creativity. One that promotes love or one that feeds fear.
Just as the silver jewelry trade in Morocco has been on its own trajectory of survival, it seems to have lost much of its soul. Women have long since sold their unique heirlooms and most of the traditional craft is directed towards tourists who want to take home a flavor of the country’s cultural heritage.
With the Elemental Essence Collection, I hope to revive the soul that once infused this lost art and give it a new voice around the world. Each piece in the collection was designed and created with the same personalized intention from its past, combining meaningful indigenous symbols with crystal healing properties to offer support and blessings to its wearer.
Whether you want to connect to a piece that expresses a piece of your soul or adorn yourself with the energy of a specific intention such as abundance and prosperity, these talismans will help you embrace and embody more of your divine essence and share your unique light with the world. To choose your talisman, read the accompanying story and symbolism for each piece or allow your intuition to guide you to make your selection.
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