Waist Beads are a customary accessory originating from several parts of Africa. African Waist beads are made of small glass blobs arranged on a string and are worn around one’s hips or waist. They are available in various shapes, sizes and colors and are made using a number of decorative charms, stones and crystals.
For centuries, women in a number of cultures in Western and Northern parts of Africa have worn waist beads. They became so popular that in recent years, they found their way to the Western part of the globe. Other terms used to describe waist beads include waistline beads, beaded waist chains and belly beads.
In countries such as Senegal, Cameroon, Nigeria, Mali, Benin, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Cape Verde and others in West Africa, waistline beads are used to symbolize sensuality, spiritual welfare, fertility and femininity. Nowadays, women in Africa and those in the United States wear waist beads to enhance their beauty and for practical reasons.
Many believe that the history of waist beads can be traced to Egypt as far back as the fifteenth century and was worn by women as a status symbol. In the Egyptian culture, waist beads are referred to as “girdles.” In West Africa, historians believe that the tradition of waist beads may have originated among the Yoruba tribe in Nigeria and extended to other parts of West Africa.
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