Old Silver Charm Fruit Chatelaine Brazil Penca de Balangandan Pin Brooch

Vintage Penca De Balangandan Charm Amulet Pin brooch Great find for collector, in excellent condition.Here is a Penca De Balangandan Charm Pin with 9 Charms. From what I've read, the origin of the Penca was as a Brazilian slave charm holder pin, given to the slave by a house master during the colonial times. The 2 birds that face each other on the pin symbolize the two countries Africa and Brazil. The symbolic charms were given as rewards or gifts and were thought to ward off evil and now represents good luck. The origin of this pin is from the Bahia state in Brazil. These are still worn at a traditional yearly festival by the Bahians. This Penca holds a Figa charm, which is the wooden clenched good luck fist originating in Africa. It also holds various other fruit and/or vegetable charms that look like pomegranate, gourd, etc. Very good pre-owned condition. I have owned and wore it for many years thinking it might be South American but only just now learned some more of the history. It has always been a conversation starter.