They say if you carry a cowrie, wealth will follow. So will love. So will favor.
But in the same breath, some will warn: hide it from your pastor.
The African cowrie—smooth, curved, mysterious—is a small object with a massive reputation. Found in the oceans, worn in braids, tucked into purses, used in prayers, feared in myths, cowries have travelled far, both physically and spiritually, across the African continent and deep into the soul of its cultures.
But where do they come from, and why do they still stir such powerful emotions?
Origins of a Shell Soaked in Symbolism
Cowries are marine mollusk shells, most commonly from the species Cypraea moneta. Though found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, they made their way into African societies centuries ago, riding on the waves of Indian Ocean trade routes. Arab traders, Portuguese merchants, and East African sailors brought them ashore not as trinkets, but as currency.
And they caught on quickly. Historians believe that as early as the 14th century, cowries had become a widely accepted medium of exchange across West Africa. In the old Mali Empire, one could buy a goat, a bag of salt, or a bride with strings of cowries.
But the shell was never just about commerce.
Power, Protection, and the Pulse of the Spirit World
In Yoruba cosmology, cowries were more than money; they were eyes. Eyes of the Orishas. Conduits of communication between mortals and the divine. Babalawos, the spiritual priests of Ifá, cast cowries like dice to divine futures. Aje, powerful feminine forces associated with creation and destruction, were said to be protectors of the cowrie’s mysteries.
It’s this connection to the metaphysical that shaped the cowrie’s dual reputation. To some, it became sacred. To others, especially under colonial Christianity, it was something else.
Today, many still associate cowries with divination practices, thanks in part to Nollywood portrayals where a string of cowries often signals that someone is in touch with “dark powers.” But this fear is largely born of misunderstanding.
To the Yoruba, Igbo, and even the Akan of Ghana, some of the most prominent cowrie users historically, these shells are not evil. They are energy. They are the essence.
A Symbol Now Flaunted
Over time, as colonial rule imposed new currencies and cultural systems, the literal use of cowries as money declined. But their symbolic value only deepened.
Where once they bought wares, today they adorn waists, necks, ears, and foreheads. Cowries have made a stunning comeback in African fashion, worn by both spiritualists and stylists. Braided into hair, stitched into agbadas, looped onto anklets. They carry a silent but confident nod to heritage.
Cowries have become the aesthetic language of African pride. They’re seen on contemporary beadwork, minimalist jewelry, and even avant-garde fashion lines that reimagine African royalty.
But with popularity comes dilution.
Can the Cowrie Stay Sacred in a Mass-Market World?
The resurgence of cowries in mainstream culture begs a vital question: Can a spiritual object survive commodification?
While natural cowries are still harvested sustainably in many regions, mass production—especially of plastic imitations—has raised sustainability concerns. The deeper issue, however, lies in the cultural flattening. What happens when a sacred object becomes a fashion accessory stripped of its history?
To keep its integrity intact, cultural educators, artisans, and spiritual leaders are pushing back—hosting workshops, leading storytelling sessions, and insisting that context matters. That it’s not just what you wear, but how and why.
Why Cowries Speak to the Feminine Soul
The cowrie’s slit-like opening, its smooth belly, its protective curve—these are not just anatomical features. In many African societies, they’re read as symbols of the womb. The feminine. The origin of life.
This is why cowries are often worn by women trying to conceive, or sewn into fertility belts. It’s why they appear in dances celebrating womanhood, in initiation rituals, in goddess altars. The cowrie is the quiet symbol of creation, intuition, and inner power.
To wear it is to call on ancestral memory.
A Legacy That Refuses to Fall
Some say the cowrie “died” when coins replaced it. But that’s far from the truth. The cowrie simply changed clothes.
It went from currency to crown, from market to meaning.
Yes, its reputation is complicated. But perhaps that’s what makes it so compelling. It’s not just a shell. It’s a mirror. It reflects what we see in ourselves—our history, our fears, our beauty, our power.
And if you’ve ever felt drawn to one, found one on the sand and kept it, even if you didn’t know why, then maybe it’s calling you too.
So, what does the cowrie mean to you? A charm? A crown?
Written by Kemi Adedoyin
