TRADITIONAL HAIRSTYLES //
C U LT U R E
Traditional bridal hairstyles and their significance I by ZULEI MOHAMMED
n some parts of Nigeria, it is common to see people having two weddings-the traditional wedding and the religious one. The traditional wedding is rooted in the Nigerian culture which varies from region to region. One eye-catching part of the traditional wedding is the hair styles worn by the brides. These hairstyles signify different meanings, based on the cultural practice of the people concerned. For instance, among the Edo and Igbo people, the bridal hairstyle is usually woven with a lot of coral beads, depending on the bride and her custom. The hair style can range from very simple, with a few coral beads, to a very intricate type, especially for Edo brides. The beads worn on the hair signifies her importance and also showcases the joy the bride and the family feels for that day. The traditional Efik bride wears her hair braided long for her wedding. Her hair is adorned with extravagant gold hair combs as a final decorative touch which accentuates her beauty. According to the Efik, hair is very important such that in the olden days, the Efik woman regarded her hair as a symbol of feminity therefore it was forbidden to cut it. Nowadays, they just use weave to capture the same long look. As for the Kanuri bride,
the hair must be worn loose before the wedding day in order for the groom’s aunties to wash it. Then, the bride is made to perform ablution, followed by the women blessing her. Afterwards, she is given the permission to weave her hair in (Kleasku style) front and back style. Looking at the various customs and practices of different cultures, one common feature that comes to mind is the significance of the woman’s hair during her wedding, which is evident in all the cultures. As they say, the hair crowns the beauty of a woman and she wouldn’t want to take chances with it on her wedding day.
Photo source: INTERNET
TAMBARI OCTOBER 11, 2015
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