What is a hair style ? To me not looking at the dictionary; i feel a woman’s hair style is the way she chooses to express herself that particular day or week or month.
It could be positive, negative or neutral what matters is she is expressing it!
So back to hair styles of those days in my beautiful Nigeria
In Nigeria, abundant hair on a woman’s head has always been a sort of pride and dignity.
The long and abundant hair of a woman is a sort of power of sexual attraction, thus, in the past, if not to the present, Nigerian women have shown great care and concern for hairstyling to enhance their beauty and express their relevance and value in the society.
#Hair is the beauty of any woman (most people agree). Abundant hair on a woman’s head is considered one of the major attributes of feminine beauty, and this concept has been present even in the olden world.
Samples of Traditional Hairstyles
Most school of thought including the word of God in (1 Corinthians 11 :5) agree that it’s a good for a woman to have hair on her head. 😉
The problem of a woman with little hair on her head is further compounded by the ever present scortching sun 🌞. So ladies take care of your hair and let it grow lush and long and BEAUTIFUL!
Generally, hairdressing in those days was a process used in lending greater beauty to the hair of the head which included : curling, packing, twisting, binding,powdering, embalming, brushing, waxing
and so much more manipulation of the hair also the addition of materials such as rubber, wood, plastic, holding beads and so much more.
They also pleat, plait, and top-knot as well as apply some extraneous objects in form of elaborately carved woods or ivory combs, strings, cowries and wigs of human hair.
There are however special hairdos for special occasions and for special cases like birth, marriage, burial, initiation to cults or societies and age-group etc.
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Hairdressing has been practised universally right from the _prehistoric_times by various people and civilizations with various hairstyles for various purposes and ceremonies.
Symbolic hairstyles of the past
- A childless woman coated her head thickly with camwood-paste and stuck cowries into it, aimed at bringing out the message of her case nearer home to the public.
Cowries were regarded as a symbol of fertility, and so when a childless woman wore this type of hairstyle in the olden days, the message was vividly understood by individual members of her community.
In such a cases, all good-spirited elderly women and men would always give her words of encouragement and blessings, each time she came in close contact with them.
- Women that were about to have a child also had their own kind of hairstyle, so also those who had passed the child-bearing age or who committed abomination in the community. In the past too, there was a special hairstyle for the grief-stricken or mourning women or widows.
**These hair styles are seen all over Nigeria, but from my experience the Yoruba tribe of Nigeria have trumped the ‘hair-do ring’
The Yoruba people are one of the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria. They are predominantly scholars, farmers and traders.
The women are very creative when it comes to style, beauty, fashion and !!!hair!!! Because the styles are close to innumerable we will be taking just a few and talk about their meanings.
The two basic methods are handmade plaited hair called: (irun didi) and hair that is tied with thread or braided called: (irun kiko).
Amazingly, these hairstyles are created using simple tools Such as the :
- Oya: a wooden comb with three teeth that come in various sizes.
- Traditional hair cream: used for braided styles.
- Plastic plaiting threads: used for variations of both braiding and weaving.
And so on.
Every Yoruba hairstyle has a significant name that celebrates an occasion, historical event or aesthetic design. Some signify social status, marriage, sophistication, youth or grieving, while others can represent social commentary.
The Shuku Hairstyle
This hairstyle involves braiding to form a hump on top of the head—has a significant place in Yoruba hairstyling. There are many variations of this popular style.
This hairstyle was traditionally reserved for the wives of royalty, but is now common among young ladies, school girls, married women and celebrities.
Different types of suku include suku elegbe, suku na poi, suku onididi and suku sesema.
- Eko Bridge (Braids Resembling Flowers)
The Eko bridge hairstyle represents a bridge in the state of Lagos, Nigeria. The stylist divides the hair into 10 or 11 sections. The thin braids are then twisted to form a bridge-like focal point above the head. - Beautiful Examples of Yoruba Hairstyles
Special Occasions
Ogun Pari
The word Ogun pari literarily means ‘end of the war’. The hairstyle was created to commemorate the end of the Nigerian Civil War.
- Identifying Religious Beliefs – (Ere)
The Ere hairstyle identifies worshipers of the deity ‘Esu’.
Esu is believed to protect travelers and have powers over fortunes and misfortunes.
(Directly, Esu means devil, but beliefs are beliefs)
The style involves a single, long growth of hair at the front or center of the head. The single strand resembles a pigtail, which has religious significance in this particular faith. - Ilari Osanyin
Some Yoruba believe that when a child dies before the age of 12, the spirit is reborn into their family. These abiku children have hair shaved on either side every two weeks.
This ritual is used to honor the deity Osanyin, the god of medicine. Court messengers also wear this hairstyle.
And finally;
List of some Yoruba Hairstyle Names in English.
Banana Leaf,Police Cap,Remo Carpet
Scissors
Two Steps
Second All African Games
Telephone Wire
Three Jolly Friends
Three Star
Zigzag
Nigeria Drive Right
National Theatre
Roundabout
Half Parting
Face Cap
Face-to-Face
Back Parting
Coiling Penny
Boys Follow Me
Baret
The King’s Crown
Credit: steemit
