Bracelet Item Number: 807/3 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Black coloured circular bracelet joined with elaborate knot of brass wire coated with red paint(?).
History Of Use
According to Mrs. Yau Chan, Shek-Ying, bracelets like this had been worn in the past by Cantonese boat-dwelling women and Cantonese women from Taishan County. The bracelet should be wrapped with four bands of very thin gold. This bracelet would have been given to an adult woman with very small hands when she was married. Her mother would have given her a pair of these bracelets if she could afford them, as well as a pair of gold bracelets. The groom’s family would not have given jewellery but only the bride price of Hong Kong $80-100, which would have been used to pay for the jewellery.
Narrative
This bracelet was collected by James Hayes in about 1975. According to Mrs. Yau Chan, Shek-Ying of Kwan Mun Hau Village, Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong, such bracelets were worn by Cantonese boat-dwelling women (known by the rather derogatory term Tanka) and Cantonese women from Taishan County.
Iconographic Meaning
Mrs. Yau’s statements suggest that these bracelets symbolized the fact that a woman was married, and that she was Cantonese from a fishing family or from Taishan County.
Item History
- Made in Hong Kong, China
- Owned by James Hayes
- Owned by Elizabeth L. Johnson before May 14, 1982
- Received from Elizabeth L. Johnson (Donor) on May 14, 1982
What
Who
- Culture
- Chinese: Cantonese
- Previous Owner
- James Hayes and Elizabeth L. Johnson
- Received from
- Elizabeth L. Johnson (Donor)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Hong Kong, China
When
- Ownership Date
- before May 14, 1982
- Acquisition Date
- on May 14, 1982
Other
- Condition
- good
- Accession Number
- 0807/0003