About Us
Ever since siblings Haddy and Aissatou Ceesay can remember, they have been decorated in jewelry from their parents homeland Senegal and The Gambia in West Africa. They never quite understood the importance and detail of this craftsmanship, until they moved abroad to the US. Here, they experienced how multicultural the US is, and how well Americans, both consciously and unconsciously, integrate for example commodities and food from different parts of the world into their culture.
The idea of the brand itself was founded years ago, and is built upon the concept of tradition and timelessness. We wish to create jewelry that is influenced by the simplicity of the Scandi expression, but keep the detail and finish of the traditional West African look. Diawéne was also created based on the experience of coming from two different worlds, and the desire to let one influence the other. This might be a disadvantage for some, but Diawéne was born because of it.
The name Diawéne derives from the West African surname Diaw. In the opinion of the founders The Diaw family name symbolises a hard working family, whom for generations has had a passion for craftsmanship. The sisters’ grandfather, Ousmane Diaw, was a family man with an amazing work ethic. Through Diawéne the sisters want to pay homage to workers like him of today, and therefore they use local Senegalese jewelers to create their jewelry. It is important for us to think about the society around us, and we therefore work hard to be able to give back to our community and create a positive change for people.
The jewelry collections consists of different types of bracelets, necklaces, earrings and rings that have a typical Senegalese look and feel. The pieces will vary in detail, and will be available in silver, gold and mixed materials.
In summary, Diawéne is the result of sisters Haddy and Aissatou Ceesay’s multicultural background - being born and raised in Norway, with parents from Senegal and The Gambia. The goal is to bring Senegalese and Gambian craftsmanship to Norway through jewellery, which is a large part of their heritage.
We are excited and happy to share our journey with you!
Love,
Diawéne Team