10 Things You Should Know About Waist Beads
From the history of African waist beads to modern cultural significance. Here are 10 interesting facts worth knowing about African waist beads.
They originated from ancient Egypt.
The culture of wearing waist beads dates back over 3000 years.
The two top countries where they are worn are Nigeria and Ghana.
African waist beads are used as part of rites of passage into maturity and womanhood.
Waist beads are given to women as part of their marital dowry.
In some countries babies are given waist beads to help track their growth.
A lot of women wear them to keep tabs on their waist and hip measurements ensuring a healthy weight and trim figure.
Waist beads colours were traditionally used to signify martial status and various positions in society.
In the past African waist beads were made out of materials such as gold, stones, wood and even shells.
In certain cultures around the world, African waist beads are passed on from mother to daughter as a heirloom.