Penca de Balangandã

Penca de Balangandã are a type of charm jewelry traditionally made in the northeastern state of Bahia, Brazil. They date back to the 17th century but were most actively in use during the 18th and 19th century. These pencas were first associated with “for profit slaves”, enslaved people who worked for wages in urban Brazilian cities. While these people were forced to pay most of their earnings to slave owners, they were able to retain the remainder of their wages. Enslaved and freed Afro-Brazilians used their wages to purchase jewelry like this from local artisans as a means of cultural expression, spiritual protection, and wealth storage. These objects were extremely valuable, often written into wills as key asset to be adjudicated. The fastener and the charms were crafted out of gold or silver and were worn around the waist or on the wrist.