Phoebe Lasoi Salau

Maasai Beading Provides Empowerment For These Women

Colorful beaded jewelry and adornments are a staple for the Maasai. Artisan Phoebe Lasoi Salau, from Kitengela, Kenya continues this iconic tradition through her own beadwork and by collaborating with women beaders in the Kitengela region. Phoebe specifically employs women who have undergone forced female genital mutilation or have escaped forced marriages, empowering them to discover their autonomy and power through art and employment.

Phoebe Lasoi Salau’s creations are brilliantly colorful, which distinguishes them from Maasai beadwork from Tanzania, which is typically white with just a few colors. Learning how to bead at the age of eight from her mother, Salau adheres to tradition and each color used is symbolic; red, the primary color used, represents bravery and unity, blue represents water and sky, white represents peace, and yellow and orange represent hospitality. 

A merging of old and new styles presents an optically dazzling treat for customers. A single necklace, for instance, might contain many strands of technicolor glass beads, arranged in patterns as intricate as they are eye-catching. Earrings, too, represent a special opportunity to make a statement. Contrasting colored beads are woven in geometric shapes or else formed into brightly colored, dangling shapes.