subject: Amazonian Huayruro Seeds, A Peruvian Tradition [print this page] When you think of a four leaf clover, what comes to mind? Probably the thought of a good luck charm.
Other symbols for luck include horseshoes, rainbows, ladybugs, the number 7, shooting stars, and wishbones. But in Peru, the most popular good luck charm comes from deep inside the Amazon rainforest.
It's called the huayruro seed. These seeds are red and black, and seem almost painted. However, this mixture of bright and dark is natural. In fact, it may be the reason why Peruvians started thinking of the seeds as good luck charms a long time ago. The black and red hues are present on each seed, and some say this mixture can also bring balance into the lives of those who keep the seeds close to them.
It is a longstanding tradition to present a newborn Peruvian baby with a tiny bracelet made of huayruro seeds, as a gesture of good wishes for the future. Some Peruvians also keep collections of the seeds in their homes, or carry them in their pockets at all times.
There is evidence that even pre-Incan cultures used huayruro seeds in jewelry and other decorative artifacts. The beauty of the seeds makes them popular in necklaces, bracelets, earrings, keychains, and other accessories. Many visitors to Peru go home with souvenirs made out of huayruro seeds. Some choose them simply based on their exotic visual appeal, others hear the story and like the idea of this newfound good luck charm.
I visited Peru for the first time recently, and came home with a bag of huayruro seeds, as well as a huayruro necklace and pair of huayruro earrings. My friends comment on them, asking me what they are, so I explain the Peruvian tradition that dates back centuries. As a big jewelry fan, I find this seed jewelry fascinating, and I've found that my friends do too. I own jewelry from all over the world, made by many different artisans, but I get the most questions and comments about my huayruro jewelry.
Another interesting fact about huayruro seeds is that it is actually only the male version of the seed that is used for decorative purposes and in jewelry - the female version is completely red. It seems that in nature the male version of a specieis is often more colorful, as we see in many bird species and other examples.
There is not a lot of information on huayruro seeds on the Internet (at least in English) but these Peruvian seeds are very important to Peruvian villagers and their culture. And sometimes when I'm wearing my huayruro jewelry, I do feel a sense of good fortune! Maybe it's just the power of suggestion, but Peruvians have upheld this tradition for so many years - maybe there truly is an unexplainable power to these seeds.
