AYEWA – Original African Earrings in Gilded Bronze

In short: AYEWA is a pair of earrings in bronze gilded with gold, handmade in Senegal by Moustapha and his team. Its design draws on the Adinkra symbol Nkyinkyim, from Akan heritage. 5.8 cm high, 4.8 cm wide, 7 g per earring. Aldiana collection.

Some earrings complete an outfit. Others immediately give the wearer presence. AYEWA belongs to the second kind. Inspired by the Akan symbol Nkyinkyim, its graphic form creates an elegant presence that draws the eye without ever overdoing it.

These are African earrings in gilded bronze, made by hand in Senegal by Moustapha and his team. A precise silhouette, a warm gilding, a piece people notice without its demanding attention. You put them on in the morning. You forget them during the day. In the evening, people still notice them.

The AYEWA design

AYEWA is part of the Aldiana collection. Its design draws on the Adinkra symbol Nkyinkyim, from the cultural heritage of the Akan peoples, found mainly in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire.

Nkyinkyim means "twisted" in Twi. It refers to the Akan proverb that the path of life is winding, and it is generally associated with adaptability, resilience and the ability to keep going despite obstacles and detours. This is cultural information, not a promise. To read more about Adinkra symbols and their place in Akan heritage, see our article on Akan gold weights and Adinkra symbols, and our article on the social role of jewelry in Africa: status, memory, identity.

AYEWA's design takes up its spirit: a line that changes direction, turns and comes back, within a rectangular plate with visible hammering. It is not an exact reproduction of the traditional symbol, but an original Kaolack Créations design drawing on the Adinkra graphic vocabulary.

AYEWA is more structured than the FOLÓLO design and carries a different reference from the NIT design. All three share the same making — what sets them apart is their form and their character.

It is a pair of women's earrings made to suit an everyday outfit as much as a special occasion.

AYEWA and style

AYEWA has immediate visual presence. Its 5.8 cm of height lengthens the face without weighing it down — the form reads clearly, the piece is visible, but it does not take up all the room. The gold gilding catches the light naturally: a warm glow, not a harsh reflection.

Day to day, AYEWA works with a white shirt, a round neckline, a handwoven outfit. At work, it gives structure to plain clothes without crowding them. In the evening or at a ceremony, it holds its own without needing other jewelry alongside it.

It adapts to hair as well. On natural hair worn loose, on locs, in a high bun or on short hair, AYEWA stays visible and coherent — its geometric form reads well whatever the silhouette.

On deeper skin, gilded bronze creates a warm, immediate contrast. On lighter skin, it brings a warmth that classic yellow gold does not always have. It is a graphic earring that gives character to what you already wear.

Why wear AYEWA earrings?

Because they have character without being cumbersome. Because they are well finished, made by hand by an artisan who knows his trade. Because you do not see them everywhere.

At 7 g per earring, they last a whole day without pulling on the lobe — a meeting, an outing, an evening. Their form — precise, structured, recognisable — says something without needing explanation. It is that balance of character and lightness that makes you put them back on the next day.

Because AYEWA draws on the Adinkra symbol Nkyinkyim, from Akan heritage — a real cultural reference, not a selling point. Jewelry in Africa has always had a strong social and identity-bearing function: our article on the social role of jewelry in Africa gives concrete detail on this.

AYEWA is for women looking for original earrings with a formal logic and real presence. A handmade African piece produced in small batches in Senegal, not a catalogue item.

Handmade in Senegal

AYEWA is made by hand in Senegal by Moustapha and his team, artisans who specialise in bronze. Kaolack Créations works with them directly, in a relationship built over time, and the artisan sets the price of his own work.

In Moustapha's workshop, the metal is melted, cast, then worked by hand at every stage. The final form is reached by precise manual work — not by a machine. Each piece carries the traces of that making: a surface texture, slight variations from one pair to the next. That is not a flaw. It is the signature of handwork.

Moustapha works in small batches. That lets him check every piece, keep the quality of the finish, and not make more than the workshop can do properly. That is what makes AYEWA a handmade African piece in the concrete sense of the term.

Bronze and the gold gilding

The gold gilding gives AYEWA a warm, immediately visible glow. A colour that catches the light and flatters the face, on deeper and lighter skin alike.

These gilded bronze earrings are worked by hand: the metal takes on textures that mass production does not reproduce. Bronze is sturdy. The finish is applied with care to each piece, not in bulk.

Light and comfortable day to day

AYEWA was designed to be genuinely worn. At 5.8 cm high for only 7 g per earring, it has assertive visual presence while staying comfortable for everyday wear. Its form reads clearly, its finish is careful — and it is also an earring you put on in the morning and forget during the day.

Bronze has substance without being heavy. AYEWA will see out a whole day without discomfort.

Some customers choose AYEWA for its form and for its link with the Adinkra symbol Nkyinkyim. Others because they like wearing a piece handmade in Africa whose origin they know. Often it is for both reasons at once.

Worth knowing

• Handmade in small batches.
• Textures may vary slightly from one pair to the next.
• Each pair is made by hand in Moustapha's workshop in Senegal.

At a glance

✓ Handmade in Senegal
✓ Bronze with a gold gilding
✓ Design inspired by the Adinkra symbol Nkyinkyim — Akan culture
✓ Aldiana collection
✓ Original Kaolack Créations design
✓ AYEWA model

Technical details

• Name: AYEWA
• Collection: Aldiana
• Material: Bronze
• Finish: Gilded with gold
• Height: 5.8 cm
• Width: 4.8 cm
• Weight: 7 g per earring (14 g the pair)
• Made: By hand in Senegal
• Artisan: Moustapha and his team
• Type: Women's earrings
• Inspiration: Adinkra symbol Nkyinkyim — Akan heritage (Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire)

Wearing AYEWA with other Kaolack Créations pieces

AYEWA is part of the Aldiana collection along with NIT and FOLÓLO — three distinct silhouettes, one standard of making. If you want to build a coherent set, the Lamou Ndiaxass Signature bracelet goes well with AYEWA: same bronze, same finish, same workshop. The Sankofa necklace also carries an Akan symbol — the two pieces wear together without competing. The Ankh necklace brings a verticality that balances AYEWA's width.

To stay in the world of Adinkra symbols, the Guélé Djiri bead necklace comes in a Gye Nyame version, the best-known Adinkra symbol in Ghana. Read what it means in our article Gye Nyame: the meaning of the Ghanaian Adinkra symbol.

See also all our handmade African earrings and our collection of contemporary African jewelry.

The Aldiana collection

AYEWA joins NIT and FOLÓLO in the Aldiana collection — a series of gilded bronze earrings made by hand in Senegal. Three silhouettes, three identities, one standard of making.

Each design has its own identity, form and character. AYEWA stands out for its Adinkra inspiration. NIT and FOLÓLO each have their own formal logic. All three are made in the same workshop, with the same care.

Aldiana brings together pieces made for women who like contemporary African fashion, originality, and jewelry made in Africa. The collection grows with new designs regularly.

Kaolack Créations

Kaolack Créations is an African brand specialising in jewelry and textiles made at source. Each piece is designed with a contemporary eye and produced directly with artisans in West Africa — in Senegal, Mali, Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana.

The brand does not work through middlemen. For AYEWA, every piece comes out of Moustapha's workshop in Senegal — worked by hand, checked at each stage. The relationship is direct, built over time, and we pay the price the workshop sets.

Kaolack Créations does not produce in bulk. Each design is made in a limited run, which keeps the quality of the finish and means nothing reaches the market beyond what the workshop can do properly. That is a choice, not a constraint.

Frequently asked questions

What does AYEWA mean?
AYEWA is the name given to this design within the Aldiana collection. Its drawing is inspired by the Adinkra symbol Nkyinkyim, from Akan cultural heritage.

What is Nkyinkyim?
Nkyinkyim means "twisted" in Twi, the language of the Akan of Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire. The symbol evokes the turns of life's path and is associated with adaptability, resilience and perseverance. To read more, see our article on Akan gold weights and Adinkra symbols.

Is AYEWA a reproduction of the Nkyinkyim symbol?
No. It is an original Kaolack Créations design, inspired by that symbol and by Adinkra graphic language.

Are AYEWA earrings made in Africa?
Yes. AYEWA is made by hand in Senegal by Moustapha and his team, artisans who specialise in bronze.

What metal are they made of?
AYEWA is bronze — an alloy of copper and tin — with a gold gilding.

Can they be worn every day?
Yes. AYEWA is designed for daily wear. Bronze is sturdy and the finish stands up to regular use.

Are AYEWA earrings heavy?
Despite their size (5.8 cm high by 4.8 cm wide), they stay comfortable to wear: about 7 g per earring.

How do I care for bronze?
A soft cloth is enough for everyday care. To revive the shine of the gilding, a metal polish applied with a cloth restores the original lustre in a few minutes.

What is the difference between AYEWA, NIT and FOLÓLO?
NIT is angular and pared back. FOLÓLO is round and luminous. AYEWA draws on the Nkyinkyim motif — a structured form rooted in Akan graphic tradition. All three are made in the same workshop in Senegal, in the same bronze with the same gold gilding.

Where can I see AYEWA earrings before buying?
On kaolack-creations.com and in person at Kama The Shop, Paris 18.

Can I give them as a gift?
Yes. With no size to guess, AYEWA is a piece with an origin and a meaning: the Adinkra motif Nkyinkyim, shaped by hand in Senegal. A gift for a mother, a sister, a friend or a partner, for a birthday, Christmas or Mother's Day. You also have 14 days from delivery to change your mind.

Ordering AYEWA

AYEWA is a bronze earring made by hand in Senegal, inspired by the Adinkra symbol Nkyinkyim. A form that means something, a piece with an origin. It is not something you buy by default.