Hamsa in modern culture

Today, even in the modern world, we are surrounded by symbols whose beliefs and traditions go back thousands of years. They have succeeded in their most important function of guarding and protecting their secrets and confidential information.

The fear of the evil eye has been ongoing since prehistoric times. It represents the fear of those destructive energies that arises from negative emotions, like jealousy hatred and envy.

Many early cultures adopted the eye as an icon for their protection, others used Hamsa Hand or Hand of Fatima and so over time the most popular universal symbol became an eye placed in the palm of a hand.

Hamsa hand or Hand of Fatima can now be found as an attractive symbol in people’s homes or may even be worn by them as ornaments. Many people still place it in their homes where the guests can see in the moment they enter. As there is a widespread belief that it will protect the house and household from disasters primarily fire.

Hamsa around the world!

“Hamsa”, an amulet in the shape of an open palm with five fingers. Its origin is in the cultures of the ancient Near East. It was adopted as a protective amulet to protect from the evil eye and to bring good luck to its bearer. The Hamsa has enchanting qualities that bring patience and faith.

Around the world people carry Hamsas as amulet and jewelry. Hollamama’s Hamsas are pleasant and modern expression of the traditionally known Hamsa. Each of the four Hamsa-women holds characteristics of feminine strengths that are borrowed from its cultural uniqueness:

• Indian Hamsa: The Indian woman gives a great meaning to aesthetics and beauty. She has intuitive abilities and the power within her to look into the future. Her motherly intuition enables her non-verbal communication with her children.

• Japanese Hamsa: The Japanese woman is gentle, meticulous yet assertive and intelligent. As a mother, she is a peacemaker and a joy-bringer to her home. The Hamsas on her belly express the blessing for fertility and motherly protection since her early pregnancy.

• Chinese Hamsa: The Chinese woman is good and enchanting. She sets harmony and pleasant mood to her surroundings. She keeps the spark of life and the playful innocence which we are born with. As a mother, she is optimistic and protects her children’s heart.

• Folkloric Hamsa: The East-European woman represents warmness, soft-heartiness and closeness to mother earth. Her outer appearance brings to mind a Russian Babushka, which symbolizes motherhood, fertility, and the development of woman strength. As a mother she is soft, pleasant, and sets the secure feeling for her children.

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Aside from their mystical qualities, a Hamsa hand is a very aestetic and eye-catching piece of jewelry. Believers and non-believers alike wear it across the world becuase they enjoy the thoughtful handmade designs that Hamsa jewelry usually exhibit.

Interview: Designer Celine Leora is a strong believer in The Hand of Fatima

With the much anticipated success of her new fragrance HAMSA, Celine sits down with HamsaBlog to talk Hamsa in todays culture and the meaning behind the fragrance.

For more information about Hamsa Perfume visit www.hamsa-perfume.com 

Stay tuned for more interviews!

Samsara Imports and Salmira: India~USA~Nicaragua

With stores in USA, Central America and in Ecuador, the brand is quickly becoming the “must” trendy spot for Home Décor, Fashion, and Jewelry needs for India’s culture embracers.

Founded by Lissette Atassi, a designer and entrepreneur with vast knowledge of the regions, indigenous people, their customs, architectures, ideals, and history, Samsara Imports translate her passion for the design of textiles and home furnishings into a company which continues to grow year after year.

Dedicated to bringing the richness and diversity of Asian and Indian handcrafted products, colorful textiles, and accessories to its vast clientele, Samsara Imports’ services and products give the clients the opportunity to savor experiences enjoyed by Lissette Atassi on her fateful trips through India’s treasures. The company’s garments and decor product have embellished from TV networks’ sets such as Univision show “Nuestra Belleza Latina” to renowned stars and private businesses events alike.

With a fully staffed regional branch in Delhi, Samsara Imports constantly monitors the quality control of every product manufactured by its factories across the country, as well as its timely shipments, in order to meet its clientele demand in the USA, European, Latin American, and Caribbean markets.

Samsara teams up with Cosmopolitan.

A brand of its own, Samsara Imports continues to reach new heights. Samsara Imports is extremely proud to have had the opportunity to dress the 24 contestants of this great beauty event and is thankful to Giselle Blondet, Osmel Sousa, Julian Gil, Lupita Jones, David Chacon, and the entire crew of Univision for having setup this wonderful background with decoration provided by Samsara Import as well.

Understanding the Hamsa symbol

The hamsa hand, similar to the evil eye, also has a dynamic cultural history. It is called by many names, but most often, in traditional Turkish settings, it is referred to as the Hand of Miriam, named for Moses and Aaron’s sister. The word itself means “5″ and thus refers to the 5 fingers. The number 5 is a powerful number and symbolizes defence, power and fortune.

The evil eye, which has many names is actually a “Luck Charm” that is believed to “reflect evil” thus protecting its wearer against jealous eyes, bad luck or misfortune.

Historically, the evil eye is found throughout many regions including ancient Anatolian (Turkish), Egyptian, Italian, Greek and Roman cultures and many references of the evil eye find their way into contemporary Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, Latin American and Hindu traditions and customs.

Although the hamsa hand has had a symbolic following in Islam and Judaism for centuries, archaeologists have found sites in the Middle East which proves the symbol has pre-dated these two religions and actually originated with the Phoenicians and was first used as a provocative symbol for an ancient Middle Eastern goddess. The hamsa hand is always, hence, associated with femininity and a female offereing protection from evil and misfortune and also providing good luck to its wearer.