The New Gold Rush

This is not a comment about the new gold rush in Eritrea by mining companies…it is a comment about the gold rush by Eritrean mothers of late 40’s and 50’s.
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Last Saturday I was in philly for a wedding party of one of my friends. The wedding ceremony was fantastic…. I only wish you the same (of course, if u can afford it only). There was a very huge Eritreans and we had a festival like party, which I enjoyed very much, as such events are rare opportunity for me at this time. But, I have also seen some trends that I couldn’t make sense….so, I am commenting about it here, in a hope some one will explain to me the rational of it or how it makes sense.
One of the mothers sitting in front me in our table would be a good example to explain the point. This beautiful mother in her 50’s had put an elegant Zuria, a nice albaso kuno and a have stunning beauty that didn’t faded yet. But, as she sits in front of you, what first takes your attention is not her stunning beauty and elegance, but the tons of Gold she was carrying. A gold mido inserted over her hair, dozens of big gold benajir covering both of her arms, a big discs of kutusha hanging from her ear, and a gold collar covering her entire neck ( this is not a brace let…it is like a collar you put on Gofar kelbkum), and her albaso was covered with a cap of gold…..in short every part of her body that was not covered with cloth was covered with Gold. Those expensive metals have completely dominated her beauty, her elegant zuria and her artistic kuno…so when you see her, you don’t see the beauty…you see the gold,…you will not say “what a beautiful mother!”….but rather you will say “nay endamen e’nda eya bejaka!”. …
in short, those tasteless and artless expensive metals have dominated the fine lines of her beauty and style….and make her look like a decorated X-mass tree.
As I look across the entire hall, the case of the mother sitting in front of me was the rule of the day rather than an exception. It is seems an implicit dress code for those women in their late 40’s and 50’s these days. …it is like the Jontra days…when every kid was cutting his hair Jontra. This trend is not actually restricted to the Diaspora community. I have been seeing those in Asmara, though, for obvious reason, was limited in degree and extent to those with the means to afford them. But, for certain, this new gold rush, seems a new fashion in the circles of Eritran mothers….
So, the question is, how is this fashion making sense for our mothers? Even though I don’t claim to have a good test of style, I found it tasteless. It actually is destroying their beauty rather than adding value. A typical Eritean mother with her modest traditional gold collection has more style than those buried with tons of gold….well, at least with my tests.
But, if you find it the other way, please help me explain how it makes sense.