In West Africa, beauty and style is not just about how one looks or what one wears, but it is a way of life. The continent is home to dozens of different tribes, therefore collections of distinct languages, customs, and heritages, which are reflected in the people’s outer appearance. Various styles of hair and dress are essentially a person’s biography, showcasing their unique background, such as where they are born, their age, if they are married, their spiritual beliefs, and more. Just the specific color of their clothes and their hair ornaments hold special meaning because they are what bind their tribe together.
Hair: West African hair is some of the most colorful and intricate in the world. Many different styles vary upon the numerous tribes in the continent. The Zulu tribe decorates their braided hair with beads, seashells, and even seaweed. The Ashanti tribe shows off their social status, clan, or gender by the tribal patterns that are cut into the hair. These designs are also visual representations of the individual’s political and religious views. Lastly, the Samburu people pride themselves on their feather headbands.
Courtesy: Afroglitz / Flicker Hive Mine
Body: While the rest of the entire world is obsessed with keeping their bodies stick-thin to maintain their beauty, in Africa it is the complete opposite. Bigger is definitely better, and plump women are looked upon as healthy and sexy. It is common knowledge that a young but big woman will have a higher chance of securing a good husband, for they are thought to have better fertility than skinny women. Traditionally, young girls are sent to a camp where they are force-fed up to 16,000 calories a day to quickly gain weight and drink gallons upon gallons of cow and camel’s milk. Also, prior to a young woman’s wedding, she must spend months in a fattening hut where older tribe women prepare her for her husband by continuously feeding her.
Courtesy: Women's Revolution / Ryan Koch
Wardrobe: West African women wear a traditional outfit called the pagne. It consists of three elements: a flowing blouse, a wrap skirt, and then a headscarf. It can be worn for informal or formal occasions, and the materials differ accordingly. Some informal fabrics used are batik (hot wax and dye), mudcloth, and tie-dye, while formal fabrics call for cotton brocade, lace, and linen.
Courtesy: Away from Africa
Jewelry: Just like for hair, jewelry is also an important of a West African’s appearance that depicts his/her biography and beliefs. Materials consist of beads, glass ornaments, gold, silver, ivory, shells, and more. Not just for pure aesthetics, a piece of jewelry is designed a certain way for a purpose. A young newlywed woman will wear a belt of beads to indicate her new marital status, and a special glass pendant to ward off evil spirits.
Courtesy: SSEP / The Walking Mannequins
Masks: Masks are fundamental to the African history and culture. Ancestry is extremely important to the people, and to show them honor, masks are created in elaborate shapes, colors and designs in hopes to please their ancestors, who will in turn give them blessings. Masks are often used in religious ceremonies and during initiations of young men and women, symbolizing good or evil spirits, mythical beings, the dead, etc.
Posted by wendieliu on November 15, 2011 at 01:36 PM EST #
Posted by PattyCakes on November 17, 2011 at 12:39 PM EST #