This is Oya's sacred musical instrument, used to call the presence of the deity of transformation to be present. It is the seed pod of the flamboyán tree (Delonix regia) which has beautiful flame-red flowers when in season. The pod acts like an ashere (rattle) unique to Oya.
I get a particular enjoy making these vainas as the colours are wonderful. Oya traditionally takes the maroon beads with white and black stripes. She also takes 9 colours, which can be of any hue. When I make a vaina, I select a seedpod that has a great sound when shaken. I then embellish the vaina in a velvety copper base colour. I then bead a tight net of beads that include Czech beads, copper metal, semi-precious and red coral beads. The finish vaina includes many glittering, highly polished beads that give the piece a lot of sparkle as befits Oya.
I get a particular enjoy making these vainas as the colours are wonderful. Oya traditionally takes the maroon beads with white and black stripes. She also takes 9 colours, which can be of any hue. When I make a vaina, I select a seedpod that has a great sound when shaken. I then embellish the vaina in a velvety copper base colour. I then bead a tight net of beads that include Czech beads, copper metal, semi-precious and red coral beads. The finish vaina includes many glittering, highly polished beads that give the piece a lot of sparkle as befits Oya.
My mother Daisy, Omi Dina, was one of the first artisans to net Oya's vainas back in New Jersey in the 1970's. I still preserve the one she made for my Oya 32 years ago. I remember coming up with the idea to spray paint these vainas copper, and how you immediately turned them into masterpieces. Ashe, ashe, ashe!!!!
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