Friends, loved-ones, relatives in debt? Short of money? Struggling financially? We have gifts that could perhaps help people cope with financial difficulties
It is always difficult when financial problems arise but, with one of our Indalo Próspero good luck gifts, you are able to pass on your wishes of prosperity, wealth and success in a kindly fashion to someone who is a bit short of money and/or struggling financially.
Indalo protection symbol is seen everywhere in Almería
Indalo as a symbol of financial prosperity
For many years, people in southern Spain have worn Indalo jewellery (or attached the Indalo Man symbol to their house) to help protect them from adversity – whether it be from actual physical harm caused by an accident, earthquake, flood, etc, or through illness, injury or bad health . . but also to protect them against financial hardship and other difficulties or business woes.
How can the Indalo offer protection against financial hardship?
Around the world, the Indalo figure has existed in rudimentary form for many years although nowadays, it is more commonly associated with southern Spain (and in particular in Almería, Andalucía). Here, it is a renowned lucky charm symbol said to offer protection, good fortune . . and prosperity. In these parts, the Indalo symbol is considered very lucky and there is a belief that an Indalo charm can lead to a rise in wealth and even income for the owner.
Indalo protection talisman said to promise prosperity
Indalo Man as a protection talisman symbol
Everything stems from the protective nature of the Indalo – established over many years: Around 4,000 years ago, Neolithic man decorated the walls of a cave in southern Spain with drawings of goats, deer and birds, as well as basic sketches of men/women in various poses, alongside other shapes. Some of of these ‘shapes’ were in the form of the Indalo (a man with arms outstretched holding a rainbow).
Indalo Man jewellery – Joyas del Indalo
Subsequently, over the years, this symbol was daubed on the walls of many properties in the Levante region as some sort of lucky symbol and indeed, as time passed, it was thought to have been instrumental in protecting the local population from various misfortunes that befell other nearby areas – such as harm from the succeeding floods and earthquakes. When the local populace looked at how they had fared against their neighbours, it appeared as if they were somehow “protected” by this symbol from the cave (‘cueva’ in Spanish).
Indalo Man necklace reflects the local protection symbol
The “Cueva de los Letreros” is now a UNESCO World Heritage site and the Indalo has become famous throughout the province of Almería (and beyond) where to this day, it is strongly believed that this “Indalo Man” can offer protection and bring good fortune wherever it is situated. Travelling around, you will see it everywhere. It is an integral part of the way of life of this region of Spain: Even today, in the small village pueblos that lie hidden behind the giant sierras that roll down to the Mediterranean Sea, the Indalo is known for its good luck properties and as a symbol of prosperity and good fortune.
Wish someone prosperity and good fortune
Our Indalo Prospero jewellery, representing wealth, abundance and success, is a reflection of this belief and is intended to encourage people who would like to increase their good fortune.
Perhaps the little Indalo will bring riches and success
As a gift, a piece of Indalo Próspero jewellery makes a present with real meaning to those suffering financial hardship or when times are hard. Consequently, you are able to wish someone prosperity, wealth and success by sending them a good luck gift based on the Indalo Próspero talisman.
But why not just gift someone money?
Should you give money as a gift? Should you pay off a debt of someone dear – a close friend, relative or loved-one?
If someone is going through a hard time financially, there is nothing wrong with sending them money to ease the financial burden. But, if you’ve ever wondered what gift to give someone who is struggling financially, that is NOT pecuniary, the Indalo Próspero could be ideal: Representing the promise of wealth and abundance to many people (particularly in southern Spain), it could make an ideal gift to someone who is hard up and needs a break . . someone in debt who needs money to get them out of their current financial difficulties.
Travel to Mojacar: 3 feverish days of fiesta to experience southern Spain at its best, and witness the lucky Indalo souvenir
Mojácar’s Festival of Moors and Christians is one of the year’s most anticipated parties in the province of Almería, southeast Spain. People in the surrounding area (and from miles around too) live all year round in expectation of this spectacular event. It’s not that there aren’t other “fiestas de Moros y Cristianos” in the region (for example down the coast at Carboneras – or across the “border” into Murcia, at the famous town of Caravaca de la Cruz. It’s just that the Mojácar fiesta is – well, special.
Courtesy: Adolfo Galache
The people of the town live all year round in anticipation of the event, with much planning, making of costumes, and organisation of the groups and associations called kábilas and barracks. And the many foreigners of the area join in with gusto. But . .
Where is Mojacar? What is the the point of the Fiesta of Moors and Christians? Which part of Spain is Mojacar?
Mojácar is a small town on the coast of Almería in the south east corner of Spain. It is called a “hilltop” town because the large old quarter that sits atop a hill. But nowadays there is a substantial beachside area too with many bars and restaurants, and discos – as well a shops selling souvenirs, jewellery, and ceramics of Andalucía . . as can be seen also in our online Good Luck Gift Shop store .
Mojacar festival
By day, Mojacár is a quiet Andalusian village on the Mediterranean coast, with narrow cobbled streets, and the beach-side resort that stretches for some 7 miles with beautiful sand and warm waters. But at night in the late spring and summer . . the town comes alive with fun and frivolity . . and no more so than during the Fiesta de los Moros y Cristianos in June. People dress up (and the Spanish love “las disfraces” – costumes), either as Arab/Moors or as “Christians”. The reason is that, for around 600 years, Spain was more or less under Muslim control as the Moors moved north through the country. But they never quite succeeded in a complete takeover, being finally thwarted in the north, with areas of Galicia, Asturias and Navarra holding on with their Christian beliefs, and the The Catholic Monarchs (Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon) finally beginning the re-establishment of Christian influence that the great El Cid (Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar) had begun 400 years earlier. By then, the country was a melting pot of races and religions (including a large population of Jews) and many lived in complete harmony. But there were endless scirmishes between Moors and Christians as the Moors were pushed back south – and many ‘border’ towns’ like Caravaca and Mojácar had constant battles.
Mojacar fiesta of Moors and Christians
So, the fiesta of Moors and Christians re-enacts these battles with half the people dressing up as Moors – and the other half as Christians – in a delightful display of colour. All is friendly: But it wasn’t always so: And many residents still see themselves as “Moors” despite the country having been “re-united” a long time ago (from the 15th Century under Los Reyes Catolicos) and some still feel very strongly about their history:“I am as Spanish as you”, says one dressed-up ‘Moor’, “but my race has been living in Spain for more than 600 years. I have never raised arms against the Christians. I therefore believe it is fair that you treat me like a brother, not like an enemy, and that you allow us to continue to work our land.” He added: “Before handing myself over like a coward, I will die like a Spaniard” (a reference perhaps to the final exit of the Moors from Spain, after defeat outside Granada, when Boabdil (Abu `Abdallah Muhammad XII (1460 – 1533), the last Nasrid ruler of the Emirate of Granada in Iberia) looked back at the great walled city with its Alhambra . . as he left for the last time – with the words of his mother Aisha ringing in his ears: “‘Weep like a woman for what you could not defend like a man.” This re-capture by the Spanish of the Granada Emirate in 1492 resulted in the final expulsion of “Los Moriscos” from España. It was over . . but not forgotten.
Each year, on the first day (Friday) of La Fiesta de Los Moros y Cristianos there is a gathering of “trabuqueros” outside Mojácar’s Town Hall, followed by an assembly of ‘troops’ at La Fuente (the town water fountain), and subsequent delivery of the keys to the ‘city’ by the “King” of the Moors, to the Christian King.
As this is Spain, where any excuse for a party is heeded, the whole process is re-enacted in the evening, and several times – often late into the night, over the next couple of days (and nights). The participants (and attendant crowd) climb to the top of the town and announce the presence of hostile troops in the vicinity of the city, accompanied by bands of music, fireworks and rifle salvoes. The troops then enter the town and attend a bonfire, with the inevitable party until dawn.
Courtesia del Ayuntamiento de Mojaacar
On Saturday – everyone heads to the beach – why not?! for a repeat performance and mock battles (with lots of alcohol consumed – as the night before) Why? Because Moorish reinforcements have arrived of course! So they march to the Chiringuitos on the beach, dance and there is another battle and show of fireworks before they return to the hilltop village for more partying “hasta que salga el sol” (until sunrise).
On Sunday (hangover or not) it all starts again – with more riflemen with blunderbusses on the beach and finally an impressive evening parade of Moors and Christians, in full regalia and with weapons drawn, accompanied by numerous bands and fanfares.
There are no victors nor losers, and the essence of these Muslim, Christian and Jewish believers is one of mutual respect, and to live in peace together for another year in Mojácar.
Mojacar souvenirs, and what is the Indalo man of Mojacar?
In our SHOP , we have a range of souvenirs from Mojácar – in particular featuring the local symbol: Indalo Man , which is said to offer protection and good luck, and be a great gift from Spain. This Mojacar souvenir features on jewellery, ceramics and other giftware.
You can see Indalo gifts and souvenirs from Mojácar in our central store.
Some of the Indalo jewellery pendants and necklaces in our shop were developed as a souvenir of a great time enjoyed in the clubs of Mojácar. But because Mojacar is a bit of a party town (although by day, a quiet Andalusian village on the Mediterranean coast in the south east corner of Spain), these Indalo gifts can also act as a souvenir of a great time partying . . anywhere! And, because this little lucky charm – the Indalo, can be gifted as a good luck present . . a charm necklace to bring your friend good luck, it is now recognised in many parts of the world for this reason.
For centuries, the so-called “muñeco mojaquero” or Mojácar doll symbol (which later was to be called Indalo Man) was daubed in red clay paint on dwellings in the area as an act of faith to help protect houses from misfortune. The origin of this symbol has been linked to the Neolithic period in the province (and the local cave paintings in Vélez Blanco), although the eventual name “Indalo” comes from a combination of Christian and Latin roots and Almería’s cultural movement during the 1950s. (Indalecio was the local Saint and ‘Patrón’ in Almería, and ‘Indal Eccius’ means Messenger of the Gods in ancient Iberian.) But, in particular, during Almería’s cultural movement during the 1950s, a local archaeologist and painter Juan Cuadrado, (colleague of another artist, and the group leader, Perceval) learnt of the 5,000 year-old paintings in the cave of Los Letreros in nearby Vélez Blanco. The parietal art (or petroglyphs) had been discovered nearly 100 years earlier by a fellow archeologist Antonio Gongorra Martinez, and subsequently daubed on the walls of properties in Vélez as a sort of good luck totem, because they thought the symbols in the cave represented some sort of ancient God of protection. As it turned out, they appeared right in this assumption! because a subsequent series of earthquakes wreaked havoc on the coastal towns, but the villagers of Vélez (a bit to the north) seemed ‘protected’ and suffered little damage.
Tiled display of Indalo ‘Rainbow Man’ protecting houses in Mojacar
Cuadrado offered his artistic representation of one of the paintings in the cave (Indalo-shaped) to Perceval, to be the logo of the artistic group to which they belonged. The name Indalo too was the inspiration of Cuadrado (since Indalecio was a common local name – after the patron Saint of the area, San Indalecio, a 1st Century missionary and Apostle). Cuadrado then suggested that their group of artists be named ‘Los Indalianos’.
Large Indalo Man symbol see at Cuevas del Almanzora
So the Indalo Man symbol itself is pre-historic in origin but in its modern form (and there are various designs) it is now recognised as a lucky symbol of the whole region of Almería in Andalucía – and it is said to offer protection from misfortune. But its adopted home is really Mojácar and you see the symbol everywhere. Over many years, it has offered its residents the prospect of good luck and even today, it is strongly believed that a lucky Indalo will bring good fortune to the owner. To anyone who visits Mojácar, it is the only souvenir to have – or to send to a friend as good luck gift.
Many of our Indalo necklaces, pendants and bracelets have been fashioned and hand-crafted in Andalucía. The Indalo makes a great little gift – both as a celebration of nightlife, like that of Mojacar (and the surrounding areas of Vera Playa and Garrucha), and as a souvenir or memoir of Almería and other such places along this coast.
Women dress up too for fiesta
If you can remember that special party or fiesta – especially if you enjoyed it on the warm beaches of the Mediterranean sea – partying until the early hours, and would like a more permanent reminder of the fun time, you could order one of our little Indalo charms. It could be a souvenir of a great time had by all.
Is the Indalo just a symbol in Almería? Or in the whole world?
There’s a lot of discussion at the moment about the little Indalo symbol . . and where it “belongs”. Well in our Good Luck Gift shop, we have quite a few! and most of them come from a small province in the south of Spain called Almería.
But some people get quite heated when they see the Indalo figure appearing as a souvenir symbol for places outside of Almería – or even outside of Spain.
The Indalo is indeed a symbol of Almería (both province and city) but does that mean it cannot also be the symbol of Mojácar, a small pueblo town inside of Almería? Or even of say, Vélez Blanco (also in Almería province), where the little pictorial symbol was discovered daubed on the walls of a cave some 5,000 years ago? But what about, for example, in Huelva, Tenerife, Málaga, or Barcelona, in other parts of Spain, or perhaps in Lisbon, Portugal, or France?
Embalse / reservoir in Cuevas with Indalo
It is not as if this symbol does not exist in other places around the world: Indeed, it is seen in many locations from Hawaii to North America, from Couscous in Chile, to Egypt, and Zambia . . in Incamacha in Bolivia, Sardinata in northern Colombia, at Nazca, Peru and in Patagonia, Argentina. At Valtellina, Lombardy, we see the metamorphic Rupe Magna rock, with engraved petroglyphs (ancient rock carvings) that date back thousands of years, featuring hundreds of Indalo-shaped figures. In Hawaii, many of the petroglyphs on Big Island feature similarly-shaped images believed to represent various aspects of spiritual life. One of these is known as ‘Rainbow Man’ and has special significance for the Hawaiian people: The arc is thought to represent a rainbow resting on a person’s shoulders and as such, is a symbol of the responsibility of each person to love and protect the earth – the ‘Aina’.
So perhaps it is the use of the actual name “Indalo” in other places outside of the province of Almería, that is causing the problem – not the symbol itself. After all, what does the symbol itself represent? A man holding an “Arco Iris” (a Rainbow) above his head? But if you were to look on Wikipedia, you would see the Indalo described, rather miguidedly, as a ghost that could hold and carry a rainbow in his hands (thus the arch over the head of the man). And it goes on to say that “The American-based indigenous rights organisation Cultural Survival uses an Indalo symbol on its logo. “ Not surprising really, seeing as the Indalo figure (or “Rainbow Warrior” as the Native Indians of North America called it) is a representation to them of the Great Spirit – the Creator. They use the expression ‘Rainbow Warrior’ to describe a mystical being that will protect them by protecting their environment. The Rainbow Man or Rainbow Warrior of North America got its name from the Cree, Hopi and Sioux tribes. It features in sacred drawings of the Zuni and Navajo; and for the Indians of the Mojave desert of Arizona, the rainbow is one of the most powerful qualities of the Great Spirit, the creator of all existence.
No, it is the NAME Indalo that is more associated with Almería and Spain. It seems to have originated with a group of intellectual artists, mostly from Madrid (who used to visit Mojácar, Almería) who adapted the Rainbow Man symbol seen in the cave at Los Vélez as their logo. In Spain’s Civil War years, one of the group, Juan Cuadrado (a local man from Vera, and a celebrated Archaeologist – whose family still live and work in the area), proposed that his group of intellectuals be named after the symbol which he himself had christened ‘Indalo’ as an adaptation of the local Almeriense name Indalecio, which itself has its origins in San Indalecio, the missionary sent by Rome to evangelise the southern part of the Iberian Peninsular in the 1st Century AD. Indalecio is the patron Saint of Almería and the group of artists became known as Los Indalianos.
Modern Indalo Man protecting Mojacar
There is also another theory which states that the name Indalo has Latin roots – seeing that ‘Indal Eccius’ means Messenger of the Gods in ancient Iberian. But it has always been associated with some semi-religious belief in ‘protection’: The discovery of el ‘arte rupestre’ (cave paintings or petroglyphs) in the caves of Los Letreros in Vélez Blanco had led to similar symbols being daubed on the walls of the nearby houses in Vélez as a sort of good luck totem, because they thought that the symbols in the cavse represented some sort of ancient God of protection. As it turned out, they could say that they were right because a subsequent series of earthquakes which wreaked havoc in the coastal towns of Vera and Mojácar to the north, left Vélez intact . . the ‘Indalo’ symbol had ‘protected’ them from harm.
But, as already said, the symbol itself, is more widespread – and much older. Sr. Cuadrado knew this – as an Archaeologist he had visited the Caves at Vélez (now a UNESCO World Heritage site) and seen the cave paintings for himself. He is remembered in the city Museum in Almería capital.
But is that any reason to deny los Mojaceros, for example, their entitlement to claim it as “theirs”?
On the other hand, is there any reason to complain when it is used by communities in other parts of Almería, or of Spain (or indeed of France, America, Hawaii, etc)? Or indeed, when it is used in a way that does not even relate to Almería, let alone Spain? In Granada, we have Indalo Codex – a self-improvement medication system for integral health and for people seeking goals and happiness. The Indalo symbol is an integral part of the teaching.
As is noted on website Indalo Mart : “Primarily, the Indalo is the symbol of Almería in Andalucía, southern Spain. But, it is also recognised in quite a few places around the world as a protection and good luck symbol” It is said that, in old Iberian, Indal Eccius means ‘ Messenger of the Gods ‘ and the little Indalo charm is sometimes considered a guardian angel (a bit like a St. Christopher worn by travellers, or the St James Cross worn by many on the Camino de Santiago) offering protection from harm (and strangely, from floods as well, in this, the driest part of Europe).
So it’s true: The Indalo is a symbol (and therfore a souvenir) of Almería: It is also a symbol of good luck and protection. But, as the Native Indians of North America would attest (and the Rupe Magna in Lombardy, Indalo Codex in Granada, the Petroglyphys in Hawaii, etc, etc, too), it is also believed to represent Man’s ethereal connection with the spirits and with the universe. Overall, like many symbols, (like the Christian Cross for example) it represents what you want it to represent . . it is symbolic of what you believe.
For many, the Indalo is a great symbol of inspiration – a symbol with a story – and so it makes a great piece of inspirational jewellery – jewellery with actual meaning . . lucky symbol jewellery
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