The hamsa is a symbol of protection

that is believed to both ward away evil and invite good will.

 

Hamsa means “five” in Arabic and refers to the five fingers of the hand.  Believed to have its origins as the Hand of Fatima, hamsas are frequently found in homes throughout the Middle East, and are primarily used as decorative elements in jewelry and ceramics in Muslim and Jewish cultures.  The symbol can be found world wide, however; in Christianity, the hamsa has been called the “Hand of Mary” referring to protection from the Virgin Mother, and in Hinduism, in addition to symbolizing protection, it is linked to the interconnectedness of the physical and spiritual self.  The hand can be positioned with the fingers pointing up or down.

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As an artist, I am drawn to the hamsa as it is a shared positive symbol across different cultures and faiths.  While the symbol is common to many people, each hamsa that I design is one of a kind.  The process of making them involves cutting and weaving strips of handmade papers, carefully cutting the outline of the hamsa by hand, matching it with a different handmade paper for  background and decorating each one individually with additional papers, beads and semi-precious stones.  The papers mostly come from a range of different countries including Japan, Korea, Mexico, and India.

 

 As I create I think about and hope for a peaceful joining of hands resulting in equality, cross-cultural connection, justice and peace.