Coral beads & silver coated wire

Another sphere .. this time relating to my friend trafficked from Benin region,

Coral was brought to the region originally by the Portuguese. The Benin traded goods, crops inc sugar cane and Edo slaves for coral.. particularly the red coral, which is valued for its colour by Benin. This was originally worn for ceremonial purposes by Benin Royalty and today can be seen throughout Nigeria at weddings as head & neck pieces as well as shawls and bracelets.. the coral is significant of status

My friend possesses a coral bracelet and herself is Edo.. her trafficking began via an ‘aunt’ that took her to Saudi Arabia as a teenage girl, then to the UK. Where I met her when she was coming to the catholic church during her catchetist classes as she converted from Muslim around 8years ago.

I’ve made webs out of fishing line, hooks and hair with coral threaded through and installed in a church and library

I also added melted sugar as sugar is grown in the Edo region

This piece is to mark her journey and others from Nigeria who are entwined in modern day slavery

Significantly, Edo are still the most trafficked tribe in Nigeria and Nigeria is one of the countries where trafficking takes place internally and externally to the country today.