Beaded collar necklace, 'meringet'. Part of set of 4, 2nd smallest. Circular leather base with sewn beading. Slit at the back of the neck to enable the wearer to put it on with metal wire fastening. Outer beaded boarder (to centre) black and white bands, red, yellow rings, large central band beaded in triangular shapes in alternating dark blue, green, white, brown and orange with alternating colour dot in centre. Final double band of blue beads for inner border. Trapeze decoration attached to front outer boarder with beads of multiple colours. 3 beaded strings suspended from the bottom edge, one red, one light blue, one white, each finished with a cowrie shell.
white, red, green, blue, and orange. Though many things are changing Meringet is still used not only by the Maasai but many people who appreciate intercultural interactions. Currently, the object is worn ceremonially during special occasions such as anniversaries, weddings, birthday parties, and also a source of gifting. With the entrance of entrepreneurs and designers into the cultural sphere, the contemporary Meringet is a hybrid of colours, shapes and beads of different materials ranging from hardened plastics, metals to precious stones such as diamonds, gold and silver.
