The rediscovered green Diamonds of the Kalinagos
Some thousand years ago the tribe of the Kalinagos was one of the first jewellery manufacturers in Grenada. They used the green stones and called them tacaoua tacoulaoua, a name that is hard to pronounce for us but gives testimony of the importance and significance for the Kalinagos. Alongside the green stones that were exclusively used for the making of jewellery, other examples of stones in use were fire stones or stones used for the milling of Cassava, called takia kani. The habitats of these different stones were only known to the shamans and chiefs. This knowledge that formed part of their power was passed down as a secret from generation to generation.
When my wife and I came to Grenada for the first time (in 1995) we were offered clay vessels and fragments for sale which were lavishly decorated with ornaments and characters. The often young vendors presented figurines made of green stone as very special pieces which they had allegedly found during excavations in the airport area in Pearl. We were shocked to see ancient treasures sold to tourists for a few dollars who then carried them away outside the country. We felt this was an irretrievable loss for Grenada, of course, also in Grenada it is forbidden to take away such antiquities. Thus, with permission of the minister of tourism, Hon. Brenda Hood, we began to buy up clay fragments and initially also green stone figurines and collected them. The clay fragments are rich in ornaments, and often decorated with the "never-ending circle", the sign of life. The handles of the clay vessels which generally represent imaginative characters which bear differing meanings are especially striking.
It has been proven that many of these fragments are more than 2000 years old. In the meantime we have accumulated a collection of 3000 pieces with differing meanings.
It is only a question of time when we will hand this collection over to the State of Grenada as a donation or foundation.
However, the green stones that were offered by the young vendors turned out to be imitations. Traces of modern tools show that these "ancient rarities" originate from the creativity of present-day artists.
Despite this initial disappointment we never put aside the question of the "green stones" of the Kalinagos. We found hints again and again by searching books, the internet and inquiring with experts.
The settlement of the Caribbean Islands was carried out from South America, in particular from the Orinoco delta. In their canoes, by the way canoe is a word from their language, they settled the Caribbean island chain up to today's Puerto Rico and had a flourishing trade. For centuries, one of the most important merchandise were among others the green stones which were used as raw material for their trinkets. We have called the green stone of the Kalinagos that is found here in Grenada Grenadite (that is stone from Grenada). It belongs to the semi-precious stones like e.g. the lapis lazuli, turquoise, citrine, or tanzanite.
Geological speaking it has a hardness between 3 and 5 on the Mohs scale of hardness which means it is in the middle of the scale. When grinded the Grenadite shows a colour palette from dark sea green to light olive green. The raw Grenadite is carefully selected, and then hand grinded and polished by us. Along with the ornaments on the ancient clay fragments, particularly the passed-down sign of life, the "never ending circle", we have created a special, one-of-a-kind jewellery collection that has been inspired by the Kalinagos. All pieces of jewellery have been thoroughly crafted along with 14kt gold in our workshop in Grenada.
The "never ending circle", the sign of life, was the central symbol and according to Christof Adonis, a shaman from Trinidad, it is still used by the few descendants.
This sign of life symbolises the power of life and grants the bearer a fulfilled life. The mysticism of the old symbols along with the Grenadite, the green diamond of the Kalinagos, crafted with modern expertise in gold are the ingredients for a unique jewellery collection which is as unique as Grenada's natural beauty associated with a rich and ancient history.
This precious jewellery collection can be exclusively purchased at 
in Grenada. A one-of-a-kind souvenir equipped with power that might give you an even more fulfilled life. According to tradition it is also supposed to improve your health, however, we think that you have to believe in it.
After all, each piece of jewellery is unique, a piece of Grenada which you can carry home, for you and your beloved ones.