Brazilian Personal Charm: "Figa"

This clenched-fist good-luck charm, called a "figa," came to Brazil from Africa with the seventeenth century slave trade. Originally, the figa was considered a fertility charm for African warriors. Nowadays it is prized by both men and women for luck.

Ranging from delicate earrings to meter-tall sculptures, Brazil's figa may be carved from wood or stone, crafted from plain or precious metals, and even set with gems. Tradition holds that, in order to bring luck, a figa must always be a gift.
Source:
http://www.paulogualano.com/did_you_know.htm