Ring in the Year of the Snake With Meaningful, Stylish Jewelry
Salutations, dear reader, and a happy Year of the Snake to you! I love that the Chinese New Year holiday sweeps in shortly after Christmas because if you think about it, it kinda helps you push through the January slump. Now, I am not sure my mortal envelope agrees with the lunar calendar on the arrival of spring. That being said, my spirit is ready for the celebrations, and hopefully yours is, too. Deck your door with some pretty New Year couplets, eat dumplings, watch the special TV gala, travel… There are many customs and indulgences to keep up with this festive season, but long after the holidays are over, why not carry the spirit of the snake with you all year long? If you're feeling the snake vibes, may I interest you in some jewelry coming right from Hainan? US citizen and entrepreneur Nicki Johnson moved to this beautiful southern island in 2005 and has since stayed put with a small business providing language-related services and a small shop of jewelry and artistic objects. There's a lot to her story, but I think it's best you hear it all from Nicki herself. She certainly makes her stay in China purposeful. Hello, Nicki! It feels nice to branch out from Beijing to learn more about you! Tell us all about the start to your China story.Hello, it's a pleasure to be featured here! Yes, so my first visit to China took place in 1999, and then a few years later, in 2005, I actually moved here with my husband, Erik. One side to my entrepreneurship story here is that I own a small company focused on language-related services – think translation, proofreading and writing. As for my creativity kicks, I get them out of a small shop that I called Island Delights, a name that only seems appropriate to me when I think of Hainan. I want to share the joy of life on this tropical island with everyone! Island Delights has one mission: raising awareness of, and appreciation for, handmade art that is local to Hainan. Some of our collections feature work from local artists, providing them with income and exposure, and simultaneously we aim to give everyone the chance to own beautiful, one-of-a-kind objects and accessories. Sustainability is also a concern; all our products are made from sustainable materials, with a focus on loving and protecting nature as well as China's intangible cultural heritage and traditional culture. For example, my handpainted jewelry uses locally sourced coconut shells as the main material. We carry papercuts created by a local Deaf artist and of course handwoven Li brocades made by the Li people of Hainan. Li brocades are made from 100 percent local, sustainable materials. The thread is spun by hand from natural fibers, and the dyes are created from roots, berries, and leaves. Then it's all woven together and embroidered to create an intricate work of art where the legends, stories, history, and culture of the Li people all converge together into this tangible form. What initially interested me in Li brocades were the patterns – each one represents a story or carries a hidden meaning, such as the Deer Looking Back, which represents an ancient Li love fable, or the frog, which symbolizes fertility due to the high number of tadpoles each momma frog is responsible for! Since the Li people had no written language of their own, they used these symbols to carry their culture, legends, and history down across the ages. As a literature major and art lover, I quickly fell in love with this unique method of communication! This certainly sounds promising. I'd love to know more about the ways you liaise and collaborate with local artists for these unique pieces. How do you source these, and is there anything remarkable about your communication process with the artists?Through my long-term work as the editor of Explore Hainan, the official English language tourism website of Hainan Province, as well as my collaboration with many Hainan media platforms, I've had the privilege to travel to many Li and Miao villages in the heart of the rainforest, high in the mountains, and far away from the larger cities. I've met so many interesting people along the way and been invited to try my hand at all kinds of traditional practices, such as wood drill fires, spinning thread on a wooden spindle, and weaving Li brocade on a foot loom. I've been able to ask about the meanings of different Li brocade symbols I see painted on village walls, carved into wooden beams, and woven into fabric. This has also been a great way to meet the artisans who are still creating the traditional arts and crafts of the island and source products for the shop, bringing their beautiful products out of the villages and into the city. This is so that more people can come into contact with them, and so that the artisans can find a better market for their work. Sometimes, they feel discouraged because of the low level of sales they are making on their own. They don't consider their work valuable and feel like giving up. But when they f
Salutations, dear reader, and a happy Year of the Snake to you! I love that the Chinese New Year holiday sweeps in shortly after Christmas because if you think about it, it kinda helps you push through the January slump. Now, I am not sure my mortal envelope agrees with the lunar calendar on the arrival of spring. That being said, my spirit is ready for the celebrations, and hopefully yours is, too. Deck your door with some pretty New Year couplets, eat dumplings, watch the special TV gala, travel… There are many customs and indulgences to keep up with this festive season, but long after the holidays are over, why not carry the spirit of the snake with you all year long?
If you're feeling the snake vibes, may I interest you in some jewelry coming right from Hainan? US citizen and entrepreneur Nicki Johnson moved to this beautiful southern island in 2005 and has since stayed put with a small business providing language-related services and a small shop of jewelry and artistic objects. There's a lot to her story, but I think it's best you hear it all from Nicki herself. She certainly makes her stay in China purposeful.
Hello, Nicki! It feels nice to branch out from Beijing to learn more about you! Tell us all about the start to your China story.
Hello, it's a pleasure to be featured here! Yes, so my first visit to China took place in 1999, and then a few years later, in 2005, I actually moved here with my husband, Erik. One side to my entrepreneurship story here is that I own a small company focused on language-related services – think translation, proofreading and writing. As for my creativity kicks, I get them out of a small shop that I called Island Delights, a name that only seems appropriate to me when I think of Hainan. I want to share the joy of life on this tropical island with everyone!
Island Delights has one mission: raising awareness of, and appreciation for, handmade art that is local to Hainan. Some of our collections feature work from local artists, providing them with income and exposure, and simultaneously we aim to give everyone the chance to own beautiful, one-of-a-kind objects and accessories. Sustainability is also a concern; all our products are made from sustainable materials, with a focus on loving and protecting nature as well as China's intangible cultural heritage and traditional culture.
For example, my handpainted jewelry uses locally sourced coconut shells as the main material. We carry papercuts created by a local Deaf artist and of course handwoven Li brocades made by the Li people of Hainan. Li brocades are made from 100 percent local, sustainable materials. The thread is spun by hand from natural fibers, and the dyes are created from roots, berries, and leaves. Then it's all woven together and embroidered to create an intricate work of art where the legends, stories, history, and culture of the Li people all converge together into this tangible form.
What initially interested me in Li brocades were the patterns – each one represents a story or carries a hidden meaning, such as the Deer Looking Back, which represents an ancient Li love fable, or the frog, which symbolizes fertility due to the high number of tadpoles each momma frog is responsible for! Since the Li people had no written language of their own, they used these symbols to carry their culture, legends, and history down across the ages. As a literature major and art lover, I quickly fell in love with this unique method of communication!
This certainly sounds promising. I'd love to know more about the ways you liaise and collaborate with local artists for these unique pieces. How do you source these, and is there anything remarkable about your communication process with the artists?
Through my long-term work as the editor of Explore Hainan, the official English language tourism website of Hainan Province, as well as my collaboration with many Hainan media platforms, I've had the privilege to travel to many Li and Miao villages in the heart of the rainforest, high in the mountains, and far away from the larger cities. I've met so many interesting people along the way and been invited to try my hand at all kinds of traditional practices, such as wood drill fires, spinning thread on a wooden spindle, and weaving Li brocade on a foot loom. I've been able to ask about the meanings of different Li brocade symbols I see painted on village walls, carved into wooden beams, and woven into fabric.
This has also been a great way to meet the artisans who are still creating the traditional arts and crafts of the island and source products for the shop, bringing their beautiful products out of the villages and into the city. This is so that more people can come into contact with them, and so that the artisans can find a better market for their work. Sometimes, they feel discouraged because of the low level of sales they are making on their own. They don't consider their work valuable and feel like giving up. But when they find out that their work is popular with international travelers, who are thrilled to purchase these handmade works of art and give them as gifts to family and friends in countries around the world, they feel encouraged! So that's exactly my goal – I want to give these artisans a wider audience, better income, and the praise they so richly deserve!
Excellent. Notably, your shop also carries some of your own work, the most recent example being your Chinese New Year series, centered on the snake, of course. Please tell us all about these!
Sure! So, a tidbit of knowledge first. A major source of inspiration that I am so grateful to draw from is none other than the Li ethnic group. They're also known as Lizu or Hlai, and they are one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China. They are a Kra-Dai-speaking ethnic group that lives mostly off the southern coast of China on Hainan Island, where they stand as the largest minority ethnic group. One interesting thing is that the Li actually branch out into five different groups – Qi (Gei), Ha, Run (Zwn), Sai (Tai, Jiamao) and Meifu (Moifau) – and as you may imagine, each has their own distinctive culture and customs. The patterns that they weave in their brocades are also different across the five groups – so those in the know can tell at a glance which area any given piece of brocade comes from.
Within this context, my own work is indeed mainly inspired by Li Brocade patterns, as well as nature. Many of the traditional Li brocade patterns come from nature – as mountain rainforest dwellers, the Li people are intimately acquainted with the flora and fauna of their homes. There are also other patterns, depicting local gods, people, homes, and more. Since I'm also a nature lover, I tend to choose the nature patterns to work with! Right now, my designs include patterns based on the Gangong Bird (another romantic legend), the turtle, the fish, the bee, the frog, the gecko, the ox, the crab, the phoenix, the butterfly, the dragon, the spider, the lightning bolt, the rice paddy, and of course the snake patterns! I hope to continue to explore more Li brocade animal and plant designs this year.
I like making a series of useful items, such as hand-painted jewelry, refrigerator magnets, and key chains, as well as designing bags, notebooks, and more. And I am actually glad that you want to focus on my Year of the Snake series, not only because it's time-appropriate and my newest line, but also because snakes are fascinating creatures that play an important role in the local ecosystem. As both predator and prey, they help keep populations balanced. They are masters of camouflage, and have lightning-quick moves, all without any legs at all – impressive! Of course, like all denizens of the rainforest, they are vulnerable to habitat loss, pollution, and climate change, so it's important to work to conserve and restore the wild spaces where snakes and all the other plants and animals make their homes, from the Hainan Gibbon to the leaf-cutter ant, the Eld's deer, and the bright green bamboo pit viper!
Fantastic. I can't speak for our readers, but whenever I am interested in pieces that are inspired by any given cultural background, it's important for me to seek artists who have nurtured their own bonds with that culture and whose work displays a certain degree of awareness, thoughtfulness and appreciation. I also try to be responsible as a customer myself – I really appreciate products that fit my life in appropriate, considerate ways, rather than forcing purposes that do not have a place in my identity nor lifestyle. What's the process behind coming up with pieces like these, and which are your favorite pieces in this collection?
I hope to bring more awareness to the beauty of Hainan's local cultural traditions through my art, as well as bring these fascinating patterns out of the museum and into people's daily lives. While wearing a whole outfit made of traditional, handwoven brocade is truly stunning, it may not fit into everyone's personal style or budget. Modern, stylish jewelry, useful notebooks, or popular souvenir items such as refrigerator magnets are a better fit for the lifestyles and budgets of many people, while continuing to carry the cultural significance and stories of the Li people who inspired them. One of my favorite designs is actually the gecko, a common sight on the walls or ceilings of our homes here in the tropics. Not only are these lizards cute, but they also provide a great service by catching and devouring millions of mosquitoes, preventing them from biting me! I'm very grateful, and enjoy wearing my hand-painted gecko necklace in tribute to their mosquito (and mosquito-borne illness) elimination service!
I love getting to know this kind of stuff from creatives like you. I'm sure I'll keep an eye on you in the future. What's in store for Island Delights in 2025? What would you like to achieve as a creative, and just personally, as you keep adding chapters to your China life? And how can our readers stay tuned to your updates and, of course, contact you to buy any of these lovely pieces?
In 2025, I hope to continue to study Chinese culture, create new designs and art projects, and meet more artists, art lovers, and people interested in traditional Chinese culture. I also need to really work on getting Island Delights online! Right now, the only way to purchase is to come to the shop here in Haikou or contact me directly. Of course, I highly recommend a relaxing Hainan vacation, so please do come on down. I would love to meet you all in person! However, since I do want to make the handicrafts and art available to a wider audience, I hope that this is the year when I finally get set up on one of the many online shopping platforms. Look for me online later this year under the name Island Delights! And until then, kindly add my WeChat (XieMinNicky) for any questions or purchases.
Read: Beijing’s “Ghost Markets”: A Brief History & Where To Find Them
Images: courtesy of Nicki Johnson