08/06/2026
Happy World Ocean Day! On this special day, you can join us reflecting our personal connection to our Blue Planet through jewelry 🌏
Adorning the body is among the oldest and most universal of human activities and the immediate surroundings have always been an important source of organic materials. The crescent pectoral ornament (“Kina”) worn by the Mount Hagen people of the Highlands in Papua New Guinea holds a profound, sacred connection to the sea.
Made from the gold-lipped pearl shell (Pinctada Maximums, a species of oyster), the Kina serves as a vital link between the landlocked highland communities and the distant coastal regions. It is believed the pearl shells first came to the highlands of Papua New Guinea shortly before the arrival of Europeans, i.e. in the late 1800s. The people of Mount Hagen did not know the origin of the shells as they traded only with their immediate neighbors. Many mythological origins about the pearl shells exist, with some believing they grew on trees, while others believe they were brought down from the skies by spirits, reinforcing their supernatural, non-local origin.
Gleaming iridescent red or orange specimens are especially prized, and they are often rubbed with red ocher to enhance their color. The red ocher has connotations of wealth and fertility for the Hagen people. A badge of prestige, the Kina is displayed proudly on the chest with a string threaded between two holes in the shell. It is also used as a means of payment for the funeral services of relatives, compensation for murders committed by clan members or bridal dowries paid by a young man’s family✨
📸 Sandro, Smithsonian Magazine, 2018
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