Protection against an evil eye. A tribal myth or reality.

In different cultures of the world, there is a belief of protection from an evil eye, however the concept vary widely among different cultures yet the believe is more or less the same. According to a belief, an evil eye is considered a look with bad intention, that may cause harm or bad luck to the person to whom it is directed with evil or malicious intention. Among Pashtuns, an ethnic group, both from northwest of Pakistan and Afghanistan, a local language term "Nazar" is used in such cases."Nazar" means an "evil eye" in English language.

 It is suppose to be that certain people have a gaze of their magical eye that may cause harm to some one's beautiful house, possession, property business or any individual etc. For protection from evil eye,usually amulets, bracelets, black thread, sea shells, necklaces with black color pearls and beads are used. Apart from that the rural traditional women used to put alum along with red chillies in fire to finish the evil effects. Though all this is considered as superstitious belief yet it is widely practiced by many of people in the world especially with the tribal backgrounds. Such as among many Mediterranean and Asian tribes and cultures this belief is practiced. However it is strongest in the Middle east, East, West Africa, South Asia, Central Asia and some how in Europe too.

 For this purpose different kinds of decorative stuff and jewelery are use to defend one self from an evil eye. Decoration stuff is used for homes to stay safe from evil eyes while the ornamental stuff is used by individuals for protecting themselves from it. For example different kind of bracelets. They are the favorite souvenirs for the tourists in such countries where it is practiced like in African countries , to some extent in Afghanistan, Pakistan etc. You may get such type of stuff in different shops and stalls in different countries of the world and tourists mostly show great interest in such type of jewelery.I took these photographs from my collection at home.

These hangings might be used in frocks and shirts near the shoulders or neck collars hanging.

These shell made black threaded hangings might be use mostly by kidz. With a safety pin they are hang with their shoulders.

Another tribal design necklace with a little doll shape hanging

The black beads are specially use for evil eye protection

Different kind of tribal stuff hangings for dresses and the bengals