Of all colors on the color spectrum, red is the most vibrant and in many cultures it carries a grand significance. In Chinese culture, red represents good luck and prosperity. It also symbolizes fertility and celebrations, which is why Chinese brides wear red on their wedding day. In India, red offers protection through bravery and strength in addition to representing fertility and prosperity. In Maya Mam culture, the color red represents the blood of family lineage, the connection we have to our ancestors, as well as the dawn. In some cultures it might have negative connotations linked to danger or violence, but in general, red is perceived to be a positive color.
Red can also be associated with love and romance, or strength and power. It is also linked to blood and fire -- fire is a powerful earth element. Going in another direction, red has relations to the metaphysical and spiritual realms. Our root chakra, which is the center of our stability and grounding, is associated with the color red. Red can evoke feelings of passion, sexuality, and anger. While in meditation, focusing on the color red can bring out our personal power within to get things going.
Historically, the color red is believed to have been recognized by early humans after black and white. When our primate ancestors gained trichromatic color vision and trichromacy, the ability to perceive colors within three receptors in the eye, one of the first colors they were able to perceive aside from black and white was red. This phenomenon dates back millions of years ago.
Among the list of ancient artifacts that have been found over time, original writings on the walls that were found in Africa around the Early Stone Age were written by early humans with pieces of red rocks that were used as chalk. These pieces of chalk are red ochre. In regard to the first color red that could be perceived, it was actually ochre that these early people were able to see. (What is white, black and red all over?) While ochre does vary in shade, red ochre has a large amount of hematite or iron oxide in it. It was also used as body paint and used for decorating bones in burial rituals.
In fashion, red can be a very loud color that not everyone is brave enough to wear, but in Cajolá, it is a predominant part of the daily dress of the indigenous women in our community. Women wear a red striped huipil (blouse). It signifies the strength of these women and is used to identify that women are from this area.
Mayamam Weavers’ signature Cajolá Red Stripe was designed as a reference to this traditional red blouse and has become popular with customers. We have many categories of products featuring this beautiful signature stripe for those that love a fiery red as well as the minimalist that is looking for a hint of carefully placed color in their home. Ready to dabble in a bit of red? Check out our Signature Red Collection.
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