Why Waist Beads – Reasons Why Ladies Wear Them
We have a lot of beads that are worn on our waist, neck, ankle, and hands. Why beads if I may ask?
But today, I will like to talk about it and why some ladies choose to wear them.
When we say waist beads, they are traditional African accessories that consist of small glass beads on a string or wire worn around the waist. We have so many different types of colours and shapes which can be decorated in a form of stones, crystals, or charms.
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I heard men like them a lot, especially on their women’s waist. How true is that?
In many West African Cultures, women have worn the waist for centuries and they’ve even gained popularity among women outside West Africa.
Waist beads are worn by some West African countries like Ghana, Senegal, Mali, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and many more have a special belief in wearing them. They believe that wearing Waist beads are a symbol of feminity, fertility, sensuality, and spiritual well-being.
African beads originated from the people of the Yoruba tribe in Nigeria.
Waist beads are however important tool for communication used to express ideas, messages, and language of color.
Some of the interpretations of the waist beads colors are;
Blue: knowledge, healing, peace, truth, harmony.
Red: self-confidence, vitality, passion, courage, sexual energy.
Green: prosperity, hope, encouragement, humility.
Yellow: wisdom, knowledge, clarity, increasing awareness, and claiming nerves.
These are some of the interpretations and reasons for waist beads’ colors.
Beads in Ghanaian culture have been considered as one of the tools for spiritual energy. Many tribes are animistic in faith, for example; Bone beads are made from cattle are of particular significance.
The Krobo and the Ashanti women wear wood and glass beads which feature the “evil eye” for spiritual protection. It is also believed that beads impact the knowledge and wisdom of the family ancestors.
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WHY DO LADIES WEAR THEM
1. Controlling Weight:
It is commonly used in controlling weight loss and gain.
Ladies can use this precious thing to control weight gain or loss rather than stepping on a scale. If you gain a lot of weight, the beads will sit higher on the waist or feel very tight. Likewise losing weight, the beads will lose and fall to the hips.
Women of all sizes and shapes can comfortably wear waist beads on their bodies.
2. Maturity:
Since wearing it are a cultural tradition, they are often associated with womanhood growth and maturity.
Traditionally, babies are adorned with wearing waist beads during naming ceremonies.
Girls are also allowed to continue to wear the beads as they grow older.
Mothers also tie a pair of waist beads onto their daughters during their first menstrual cycle to symbolize their passage of rite into womanhood.
The beads girls wear during puberty won’t be the same as the beads they will wear after their first child.
3. Fertility:
It is believed that some women wear specific beads during sexual intercourse with their partner when they’re trying to conceive.
Larger beads or bells are added to a woman’s waist once she’s fertile for it by making sounds when passing by to alert potential suitors.
Pregnant women also wear beads which are believed to protect the mother and the unborn baby from any evil spirit.
4. Pride and Heritage:
These are worn by Black Women as a means to connect to their ancestors and celebrate their heritage and cultural practices.
A lot of Black Women wear it but don’t have any idea of its cultural tradition of its very own due to the transatlantic slave trade.
The beads are a constant physical reminder that heritage is far away.
5. Posture:
Wearing it can also help a lady to become aware of their stomach, which means how to control her stomach from getting big. The beads fit quietly differently depending on how one is sitting and breathing. It can also serve as a reminder to sit upright, engage your stomach muscles, relax your back, and breathe slowly well.
Do you know that some women traditionally add charms and oil fragrant oil to get attracted and also protect themselves against negative things?
Yes, that’s the power of beads, so am encouraging and advising every lady to make use of wearing it and you’ll see a lot of changes in your life.
