Magic of African Waist Beads

The earliest record of beads in Africa dates back 12000 years, when they were not yet aesthetically pleasing. They were used as a means of communication and identification as well as decoration. In Sudan, Nigeria, Libya, South Africa and other countries, archaeologists found beads made out of ivory, clay, precious stones, bones and shells even eggs in the case of South Africa. It was not until the 12th century that we see real evidence of glass bead production within the notable manufacturing areas of today such as in Ghana, Ethiopia, Nigeria, DRC, Mali and a few others. Unlike beads from the outside world. African beads are more than just jewels worn on the body they represent the values and beliefs of the people.

Sensuality and Femininity - The waist beads of African women are one of the most beautiful sights to behold. The beads symbolize femininity, purity, and fertility. In West Africa, the waist is a sacred place. It's where women carry their children and where they give birth to them. It is believed that wearing waist beads attracts members of the opposite sex and stirs deep emotional responses. The waist beads accentuate the figure and draw attention to the movement of the waist. Ghanaian women have a strong belief in the power of waist beads, they only wear them during "special times" and tradition forbids them from showing off their waist beads to men—so it's believed that seeing a woman's waist beads is considered an act as intimate as stripping naked.

Contraception - Before the introduction of Western forms of birth control, African women knew and used methods to prevent pregnancy just by the use of beads. Some women still do this today. Birth control medications were not orally administered nor was it intravenously introduced, this is how it was done: certain medicinal plants were added between beads and worn around the waist for a period of time to prevent pregnancy.

Body Shaping - Many give credence to the claim that wearing waist beads from childhood plays a significant role in sculpting the shape of females. They are worn as body shaping tools to create curves that are often seen more frequently in African women. Recent studies have shown african women who wear waist beads are very conscious of their waistline because naturally, beads do not stretch so it is easy for a woman to tell if she's getting extra kilos when her beads start to feel a little tight and that's why conventional weighing scales don't sell well in Africa.

Waist beads are adorned in different colors and the colors are interpreted according to tribe, culture, or locality. It is important to know the meaning attributed to each color when picking out a shade of waist beads. Below are five colors with their corresponding meanings:

1. White: purity, truth, and light

2. Green: healing, prosperity, abundance, hope, and fertility, nature

3. Blue: harmony, truth, insight, and loyalty

4. Yellow: clarity, wisdom, joy, energy, and awareness

5. Red: vitality, confidence, passion, and bravery

Make sure you wear African waist beads with the proper motives when you do so. In addition to saying "thank you," be careful to describe what they are, where they came from, and why you wear them when you receive compliments on them. We should practice studying, doing research, and knowing how to appreciate a culture in our daily lives, just as we should practice being open-minded.Wearing waist beads is actually a personal statement and admiration for your God-given beauty, and women of all shapes and sizes can do so with confidence.