Resignifying heritage: the Ojo Turco case – Morena Corazon USA

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Resignifying heritage: the Ojo Turco case

Resignifying heritage: the Ojo Turco case

Evil eye - a sacred phenomenon and one of the oldest superstitions of mankind. Within some religions and cultures, the evil eye is a deeply rooted belief. It is a mischievous look cast by an envious person, who, according to belief, prevents good health and fortune by sending negativity in their direction.

To ward off the spell , various cultures have promoted the wearing or display of protective symbols. Throughout the world, there are houses whose walls hang charms against the evil eye that have evolved into jewelry and fashion for the young generation.

The Turkish eye is an easily discernible symbol, made up of a royal blue outer circle, a white central pupil and a small black iris, it's almost like a colorful work of art. Over time, it has recovered its historical significance, through fashion and design.

From Mesopotamia to the drawer

The Turkish eye has an origin that is far beyond popular culture. Dating back 5,000 years, the Mesopotamians marked the first Turkish eye on clay tablets. Transiting both culture and religion, caution in the face of evil is found in the scriptures of several religions: Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism (among others), while also dating back to ancient Greek and roman. Since the dawn of civilization, humans have feared aggressive looks, doing everything in their power to protect themselves and their families from doom.

If, for example, a jewel with a Turkish eye motif breaks, there is reason to be suspicious; Legend has it that if your Turkish eye breaks, it has successfully protected you from evil. The pertinent question is, “has it really served its purpose?” Afterwards, it is recommended to buy a new Turkish eye, whether it be in a necklace, anklet, bracelet, ring or key ring.

Believing in this protection against evil is almost a lifestyle for many, treating the evil eye not only as a superstition, but as a way of thinking of energy as an active agent in everyday life.

For some, this symbol simply serves as a cute piece of jewelry: an uninformed infatuation with cultural symbols without really bearing the weight of carrying that culture. For those who practice the culture in which it originated, the Turkish eye serves as a protective measure against harm they may not be aware of.

In Islamic culture, for example, the Hand of Fatima and the Turkish eye are homologous in the protection that many believers carry at the same time throughout their lives. Even young parents are putting a Turkish eye charm on their newborn child's clothing, while others are hanging the Hand of Fatima in their new homes or businesses. Some may even choose to hang the symbol from their car's rear view mirror. Protection against hasan or "destructive envy" is a recurring theme in Islamic culture. Both religiously and culturally, the evil eye carries tremendous weight for those who believe in it.

Tik Tok

Before and during the course of the pandemic, Tik Tok has been a platform that amplifies the phenomenon of "microtendencies"; Week by week, dance trends, short song clips and fast fashions are circulating like a maelstrom through the app. It is safe to say that there is never a shortage of content and ideas on Tik Tok.

The glorification of the Turkish eye, in turn, manifests itself in larger spaces than just Tik Tok. It has gone so far as to be found on bathroom rugs, pillowcases, shoes, sweaters, and more.

We often see the perversion of sacred cultural symbols into bottomless and unintentional fashion trends: music videos, movies, or TV shows. This is cultural appropriation, the scandals of which have had many protagonists, such as Kim Kardashian, who has repeatedly been accused of appropriating black culture, for example, from darkening her skin in photos to being 10 shades darker than her natural tones. , even wearing her hair in African braids in the name of fashion.

Why do those with such large platforms choose to ignore the importance of cultural and religious minorities for the sake of entertainment? Many discount the ignorance factor, although after years of discussions, there is still no agreement on what is right and wrong about the use of ancestral symbols. The redefinition of heritage is a way of bringing the best of cultures to the inspiration of the best contemporary artists, being aware of their origin and respecting their sacredness.

Nobility

Finally, the Turkish eye is a noble symbol, due to the intentionality that it carries with it and that has accompanied it from its origins in Mesopotamia, to the possibilities it offers to those who have discovered it, to protect themselves from daily ills and stressful energy that humanity emits in times of absolute tension and social chaos.

Whether through fashion or decoration, humanity will continue to rely on objects and symbols to which it has attributed magic and qualities that rest on goodness and gentle elements of culture and tradition.

Morena Corazón is proud to adopt, not appropriate, the symbols that define the essence of its creations. Find here the amulets that give you a sense of security and well-being, and that complement your style in the most spectacular way.