What do the colors of African beads mean?
Blue – Loyalty and truth. Brown – Earth and stability. Gold – Good health, power and wealth. Purple – Royalty, spirituality and wisdom. Green – Abundance, fertility, nature and prosperity.
Why do Africans wear beads around their waste?
African waist beads were made popular by the Yoruba tribe of Nigeria. These beads have been noted to have been worn as early as the 15th century for many purposes such as rites of passage and as a status symbol. … It is believed that the beads possess the power to attract as well as evoke deep emotional responses.
Why are beads important in Africa?
Beads are an integral part of African history from time immemorial. They function as money, they possess power, they indicate wealth, they are spiritual talismans, and they form coded messages.
What beads symbolize?
Beads, whether sewn on apparel or worn on strings, have symbolic meanings that are far removed from the simplistic empiricism of the Western anthropologist. They, or pendants, may for instance be protective, warding off evil spirits or spells, or they can be good luck charms.
Does Waist Beads shape your body?
Measurements and Body Shaping
Both traditionally and in modern times, women will wear waist beads to get/keep their bodies intact. It is said that the beads shape your body and keep the waist small and hips accentuated.
Is it OK to wear waist beads?
Waist beads are traditionally worn low and loosely along the lower stomach area. However, some people choose to wear them higher on their waist. You can wear as few or as many waist beads as you feel comfortable in.
What does it mean when your waist beads pop?
Your waist bead is totally breakable either because you’re eating too or maybe while moving too fast, you don’t get to notice your beads attached to something and it rips it off your waist. This is totally normal. You just need to take note of what you were doing before it happened.
Are you supposed to show your waist beads?
They’re everywhere, but “they’re not for show,” said Bowden, owner of Creative Waist Beads by Journey Armon (her children’s names) in Oakland. “In African tradition, waist beads are meant to be worn under clothing,” she said. “They’re for you. It’s personal.
Why do people wear beads around their necks?
Maasai beadwork is worn according to the age and social status of an individual. Unmarried females wear large flat beaded discs around their neck when dancing as a sign of grace and flexibility.
What are spiritual beads?
Mala beads, also sometimes known as Buddhist prayer beads, are long necklace-type tools traditionally used for mantra practice and meditation. Mala beads typically have 108 beads on them (a sacred number which represents spiritual completion) plus a single “guru” bead to signify the beginning and end of a count cycle.