In the Arabic tradition is the hamsa--I'll bet there was the influence from the Moors as well.
The Hamsa is found all over the Middle East and Israel by Jews and Muslims, also to ward off the evil eye. It is an upright hand (held up like a cop stopping oncoming cars), also used as jewelry. I have a hamsa magnet on my fridge--beautiful! Guida --- On Fri, 9/5/08, [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [AZORES-Genealogy] Azorean Jewelry To: "Azores Genealogy" <[email protected]> Date: Friday, September 5, 2008, 9:14 AM Cheri, Joanne, Mary Ann, Augusta, Theresa, Jay, Thank you for your insights regarding my grandmother's 'figa.' I have found some interesting reading on various web sites, now that I know what to properly call it. You are certainly correct about superstitions! My grandmother once received, as a birthday gift, a hand crocheted, yarn, tea cozy, complete with a lovely, multi-colored pom-pom bird attached to the handle. Well, I never saw her tiny frame move so fast as it did the day she scooted to the door and tossed that thing as far as she could into her back yard. Apparently, she had a superstition - probably a bird phobia - that any replica of a feathered creature beneath her roof would lead to bad luck. I find it odd that the Azores are so known for the many bird species who call the islands home, yet she had a serious distaste for them. Must be a childhood story that remains untold! Appreciate your inputs, Sharon --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Follow the confirmation directions when they arrive. For more options, such as changing to List, Digest, Abridged, or No Mail (vacation) mode, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Azores. Click in the blue area on the right that says "Join this group" and it will take you to "Edit my membership." -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
