Dressed with care for a special cultural occasion, this young lady wears white jewellery, necklace and earrings made of cowrie shells. Gold is traditionally avoided at naming ceremonies, as it is considered inappropriate or too opulent for such sacred, community-rooted events.

The use of cowrie shells is both symbolic and deeply cultural. Once used as currency and seen as a symbol of wealth and fertility, cowries carry spiritual significance in many African coastal traditions. Worn here not only as adornment, they reflect the wearer’s cultural identity and coastal heritage, subtly signalling where she comes from and her connection to ancestral practices. The shells serve as a bridge between beauty, identity, and tradition, celebratory yet respectful of the ceremony’s tone.