Brass anklets, known locally as Ogba or Adala, were symbols of immense prestige for Igbo women. Yet, this status demanded a choreographed grace; the weight of the anklets required a wide, deliberate gait to prevent the plates from clashing, turning every step into a performance of balance.

The traditional anklet form is manipulated to capture that same sense of precarious dynamism. The silhouette is pushed to the threshold of tipping to mimic the careful regulation of weight once mastered by the wearer. No longer just an adornment, Adala is reimagined as a vessel for plants, as well as a cradle for items such as jewellery.

While the original anklets were cold-beaten from a T-shaped piece of brass by the blacksmiths of Awka, the vase is born of sand casting techniques. This process creates a visceral and deeply intimate dialogue between Adala and the earth that yields its final form.

The poetics of stability and connection to the earth deepens when one considers the phonetics of Adala within the Igbo language. The word vibrates between two meanings: A-da-ala (it fell to the ground) and Ada-ala (first daughter of the Land). We embrace the latter which aptly frames this piece as our Ada.