Speaking with Beads

The Edo (Beni) people of Benin City are internationally recognized for their art. In this episode we briefly look at their history and the dominant bead use within their culture.

Historically, the Bodom bead was the adornment privilege of kings and other men perceived to be great. Bodom means "to bark" and the bead is most frequently associated with the Ashanti of the western region of Africa, specifically, Ghana.

Speaking with Beads is a comprehensive course on traditional beadwork and jewelry of regional African families. Participants will identify traditional beadwork, materials, practices, techniques, families, and countries of the regions being studied. Additionally, participants will create an independent signature in the planning and design of an article of beadwork inspired by a traditional, regional and/or cultural practice.

This Podcast is an addition to the course LMS and Google Classroom, both of which are being used to deliver instruction.