Gigi C.

Image taken by Khalillah Carrie

Family Traditions

When I was young my mom had this tradition with all my siblings and me, the very same one her mother had with her. Every few weeks or so she would braid our hair. She would start early in the morning with a long wash and condition, comb through our hair, and apply rosemary-infused water and oil onto our scalps before finally starting to braid. The type or look of the braids wasn't always the same however my all-time favorite was cornrows, two to four sections of hair braided in vertical lines running down my scalp. I liked the feel of running my hands along the top of them, feeling for every twist and turn. As I've grown older, cornrows have become symbolic of the close ties to my family and youth and are still extremely meaningful to me and my identity.

The Beginning

Images by doriaadouke.com and Quora

The origin of cornrows is as fascinating as it is ancient. Some even believe cornrows to be the oldest hairstyle known to man. Due to their ancient history, it is hard to know exactly when and where it originated, however, pre-historians believe they have a pretty good idea. Two statues of African women with braided hair were found that date back to the Gravettian era or between 25,000 to 20,000 BCE. This has led archaeologists to believe that the hairstyle was created at least around this time if not earlier. Later on there were paintings found that date back to 3000 BC in the Sahara depicting women with cornrows. From this scientists have concluded that cornrows originated in the Nile Valley and later was adopted by Hebrew, Egyptian, and Nubian people.

It is a common misconception that these communities of people created and wore cornrows solely for practicality, however, it was for aesthetic purposes as well. During this period hair was seen as being sacred so cornrows were often adorned with many ornaments and featured various floral scents to show appreciation. Additionally, cornrows would sometimes be used during weddings and funerals in some tribes to commemorate the event. People in ancient Egypt wore cornrows and braids decorated with golden threads to symbolize wealth and status. It was especially common for people in high positions such as kings and scribes to weave this hairstyle into their hair.

Secret Messages

Image of Benkos Bioho statute from Wikipedia

Further down the line cornrows wove themselves into the plans of many hopeful enslaved people. In the 16th century, during slavery in Columbia, cornrows and other braiding styles were weaved to convey messages. No one knows how this method came to be however there are some theories, the most popular being about Benkos Biohò. The legend goes that Benkos Biohò, a former royal forced into slavery escaped (for the second time) and founded a Palenque village where he started an intelligence network to help free enslaved people. There the idea for women to use braiding styles to deliver messages was born.

Image by Pinterest

Two of the most common braiding styles used in this method were cornrows and departes. Departes, a hairstyle of thick, scalp-tight braids twisted into a bun was used to send a message the other women that freedom was near, and Cornrows, a hairstyle of tightly curved braids, was used as the road map for the route to escape. Not only did these styles help lay out the plans to run away but also helped the enslaved people on their journey. Women often used cornrows to hide goods such as money and seeds to keep them afloat after escape.

Created by Gigi Carrie via Canva

Cornrow Controversy

Today, the topic of cornrows sparks both intrigue and controversial debate. Only a decade before now naturally curly hair was more likely to be worn in straightened styles or mixed with synthetic hair because of the positive response received by the public, deeming these styles as more professional. This was seen frequently in the workplace and educational settings. One instance of this is when a young boy was shown discrimination at a college in Greater London for wearing cornrows. The hairstyle was subsequently banned from the college for encouraging “gang culture”.

For people of African descent, cornrows may be viewed as unprofessional, but the same can not be said for other ethnicities. Most people are familiar with several of the Kardashians, Kim Kardashian most famously, wearing her hair styled in this way and all of the positive media attention and feedback she received for it. If one person is ridiculed whilst the other is praised for doing the same thing, it raises a question that Kimberly Jenkins, a teacher at the Parsons School of Design asked, “ Who gets to be applauded as being cool and edgy or fashionable or making a ‘hood’ look chic?”.

Images by Pinterest edited by Gigi Carrie via Canva

Youtube video clip from "Colin in Black and White" show on Netflix

Cornrows on the Red Carpet

Photo by Dictionary.com

Despite the controversy, many Black celebrities have started reclaiming the woven hairstyle. One of the earliest times a woman wearing cornrows was documented on a red carpet was in 2001 when Jada Picket Smith wore them for the movie's premiere of Kingdom Come. Before this, the style was often referred to as AI or Allen Iverson braids. These two celebrities paved the way for a movement in which both men and women could feel comfortable wearing styles from their heritage.

Photo by Pinterest

Even before the red carpet, cornrows and other braiding styles appeared on the front of Black run magazines such as Jet magazine, Ebony, and Essence, however not regularly. That has changed for the most part, and now more black actors and actresses are wearing their hair in braids as a way of reclaiming their identity and showing their authentic selves to the media. Another reason for the resurgence of this hairstyle in the media is that many celebrities feel the need to connect back to their roots. For Solange, braiding has been a combination of all those reasons and more. She sees braiding as an “act of beauty, an act of convenience, and an act of tradition".

Tied to my Roots

For some, hair can be a form of art, expression, empowerment, and identity. For me, cornrows are that and also so much more. A testament to generational traditions, fond memories with my mother and siblings, and a tie to my roots (literally).

Photo taken by Khalillah Carrie

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