Generational Gold

Jewelry is commonly worn in Arab culture, all situated with different meanings and passed down through generations. One of the most valuable memories I carry from my mother is the jewelry she kept as she migrated from Yemen to America. This jewelry included a long, gold necklace with dime-sized rounded plates alongside a chain with a big gold heart at the bottom with a red jewel at the very top of it. Growing up, they had become very naturalized within the household, so much so that I expected my own to arrive somehow, not realizing how rare real gold was in America. This jewelry serves as a pleasing reminder of what could’ve been if I hadn’t immigrated at such an early age. I don’t own them (yet), but my mother talks a lot about passing them down and, like many mothers, associates it with me going into a new chapter in my life.

Despite the culture shock my mother had experienced, she still held on to her jewelry from back home. She has always wanted to prove to herself that she had a piece of that past life with her. She would never wear them casually and only saw to wear them to weddings, dinners, and parties. I’ve never known her to be materialistic, however, she would always make sure she was seen with her jewelry whenever we would go to Yemeni-held weddings. I started to realize materialism had nothing to do with it. Due to my own assimilation into Americanized culture, I tend to associate jewelry, and all “material” things alike, weren’t necessarily perceived the same way by my mother; they were seen as an investment. She didn’t care whether people saw her and thought she had money or not, but I realized this behavior belonged to how she was before she came to America. When I asked her, she explained that it’s normal for women to show off what they had. It was like the pride that came from how much jewelry you had on you and how you presented to others, it represented not how much money you held, but how responsible and sensible you were. I also observed that she never acted the same way in any of the American events she went to. She never thought her jewelry would fit in, nor would the mentality she had with her Yemeni peers. It would be misconstrued as cocky or arrogant toward Americans, similar to the mindset I seemed to have developed earlier in my years. These are the experiences that are tied mostly to the jewelry she owned. Every time I see them, I remember how deep the differences between these mindsets go. 

I was always encouraged to carry my collection of jewelry, which eventually made me appreciative of the little things I had, especially after imagining how my mother felt coming to a country that was drastically different from the one she was leaving. I don’t remember an early memory that compares to that feeling. When she explains it, all she had was her jewelry. She had gained weight and her clothes didn’t fit. Her skin had changed and her usual products wouldn’t work. The only thing that didn’t change was the gold her mother gave her. It gave a sense of stability and consistency. Additionally, in terms of her community, it gave her a sense of belonging and acceptance. Although it didn’t make her rich back home, it was her definition of beautiful. 

The jewelry itself feels like treasure in your hands. It made you feel lavish, especially with the brightly colored gold, anyone could tell its authenticity right off the bat. From what I’ve seen in America, jewelry has been very popularized. I see many variations of it, especially within the fashion subculture. Gold jewelry, especially, is becoming a trend, mixed and matched with trending streetwear styles — a subculture that even I admit to being a part of. An outsider of this culture would of course see our cultural jewelry as beautiful because who could ever turn down cold? However, nobody can truly understand how much it means to the people belonging to the culture. Gold never dies in our culture, it’s perceived as an investment because of its longevity, and will continue to be carried down for several generations. 

Personal artifacts help a lot with bringing families together, by carrying these timeless pieces through generations which ultimately gives them more meaning. I know jewelry holds importance in other cultures, whether it be in South Asian and African countries, and can even act as a bridge between these distinct cultures. I have many friends from neighboring cultures who shared the same love for jewelry and have gifted me gold, which to me, has translated into a love language. I know many people who would perceive that as “extra” or simply an overkill of a gift, but to us, it’s a form of timelessness in our relationships.

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