I received this bracelet after the first few days of my birth.  This bracelet is passed down through generations of my family and is considered as a token of my heritage.  The first child in a new family is given this bracelet as a badge of leadership since they are expected to set a good example for their future younger siblings.  The black beads are added to protect the child from “The Evil Eye”, an all powerful being that leads children astray from good decisions.  Not only are the black beads used to sent good future to the child, the gold beads also represent a future.  Usually, the people living in Guyana today don't experience the luxuries of other countries.  Because of this, they created the “Guyana Gold” using a mixture of gold and other precious metals to keep this shine while keeping the jewelry at a lower cost. The golden beads used on bracelets like this one represent the hope of luxuries for the child in its future and the good luck it will receive later on.  The gold decoration on the front of the bracelet is unique to every family that keeps this heirloom and no other bracelet like it can be found.   This is to represent how every child can write their own story without needing to copy anyone else’s work.  When the child grows out of their baby bracelet, they receive another piece of jewelry to replace it and introduce the child to the next step of their life, young adulthood.  

– Nikita Inderjit

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant