The use of painted body designs among the Yine is associated with significant rituals and celebrations in their culture. One of the most important rituals is the "kigimawlo" or "pishta", which marks the transition from girlhood to womanhood.
During this rite, the maternal grandmother would paint the adolescent girl's body with natural dyes such as achiote or huito, adorning her skin with geometric lines often representing animals such as birds, turtles and jaguars. These designs not only serve to highlight beauty, but also to provide protection during the celebration.
In addition, body designs were also used by men before they went hunting. These designs not only served an aesthetic purpose, but are believed to protect the hunters from the spirits of the bush and to attract a good hunt.
Bracelet making among Yine women has undergone changes over time. In the past, bracelets were often made using seeds found in the forest, which gave them a natural character. However, with the passage of time and the influences of commercial items such as glass beads, this craft practice has evolved and fused natural materials with items purchased from city markets.
The arm bracelets are more elaborate and generally made by adult women; they are woven cotton ribbons from which are hung the rattling seeds, used to adorn the woman celebrating her rite of passage or pishta. (RER, 2011).
