OCICA | a new brand of jewelry created by mothers of Tohoku

creative art direction is fused with local craft work to support community building and reconstruction

Photos by Lyie Nitta | click to enlarge

After the trembling stopped and the waves receded, survivors of the 3.11 disaster were swept into evacuation centers and temporary homes, leaving them with another new reality; they had no jobs and no means of income. In many cases, women who previously supported their husbands in the fishing industry, were left with nothing to do and no sense of purpose. OCICA is a new brand of jewelry that is attempting to end that cycle and put these women back to work.

The project was initiated by Eisuke Tachikawa (Nosigner) who, if you’ll recall, was one of the first designers to take action after the devastating earthquake and tsunami struck. Just 3 days after 3.11 he launched OLIVE (previously), a wiki that provides DIY tips and tutorials for those living in disaster-stricken areas.

The Deer Horn Dream Catchers, which are available as a necklace (2,800 yen) or a set of earrings (5800 yen), are made from actual deer horn and fish netting: materials that are indigenous to the Oshika Peninsula region of Tohoku. For each sale, 1000 yen goes directly into the hands of the artisans. It’s a great example of how creative art direction, which was provided by Tachikawa, can be fused with local craft work to support community building and reconstruction.