Start A Trend! African Waistbeads

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UPDATED 9/16/15: After many requests, I have created African Waistbead Kits for sale! Learn to make your own for pleasure or as an entrepreneurial pursuit.

African Waistbeads Kit includes all that you need to make 10 African Waistbeads (single or multi-strand), including the round nose pliers, jump rings, lobster clasps, 24 yards of wire, more than 200 grams of beads PLUS a beautiful crystal quartz pendant!

Purchase here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/-/171935061950?

Original post:
I've been admiring waistbeads for years and rocking my own, sporadically for the last 2 years. For me, it was about adorning myself plus I dig the symbolic connection to The Motherland. Learning from an African girlfriend that waistbeads also serve the purpose of keeping the waistline in check was just an added incentive. I must say that having your waistbeads fit you high on the waist and then travel towards the pelvis as you lose weight feels like such an accomplishment! And feeling them become snug and pinch as your waistline grows, is all of the motivation you need to push away from the table.
So I dug up a little history to share.
Excerpt from: http://yeyeolade.wordpress.com/2009/04/28/yoruba-girlswomen-wear-waist-beads-and-this-is-what-it-culturally-means-from-guardian-newspapersnigeria/

Ancient Egyptians with waistbeads

Beads of the waist is said to posses the power to attract and evoke deep emotional responses, they are a sign of success and affluence as well as spiritual well being. 
The common users of the waist beads are mostly the women folk, only in exceptional theatrical perform as will a man adorn a waist bead to symbolize feminism. The waist bead is synonymous with feminism.


The Yorubas have a belief that the waist beads posses some erotic appeal, they have the power to provoke desire or deep emotional response on the opposite sex. 

Waist beads in Yoruba are also used for birth control, the beads are laced with charms and worn by the women to prevent conception.
Beads are a precious ornaments to the Yorubas, hence when adorned by a women, accentuates her feminism or beauty. Beads also helps to portray the chastity of a maiden or women sensuality. Parent show their love for their girl child through gifts of waist beads that are colourful and expensive.

Apart from the Yorubas, other groups in Nigeria also have similar usages of the waist beads in their culture the Ogonis in Rivers State refer to beads as Loo, its uses range from covering the private parts of a women to adornment as a sign of affluence. The beads is a measure of value to the Ogonis and are also worn by bride as part of her bridal rites. The Igbos called it Mgbaji, also for adornment and a sign of social status.
The Hausas refer to it as Jigida. To the Kalabaris, the waist bead has the potency of transforming an ugly woman into a beautiful maiden once it is worn. The Ibibios see it as Nkwa-Isin, they adorn it on a female baby to help give her a good waist line, as she grows, beads of her size are adorned on her.
Priestesses of deities also wear the beads that are always colourful as part of their regalia. They also use the waist beads laced with charm s for birth control. The maiden dances (Aban) also wear the beads doing dance to give a graceful hip movement when they dance. 

waist beads by sewra/waistbeads.com

waist beads by sewra/waistbeads.com

 I have been able to find waistbeads in African stores. You can also buy them online from my favorite waistbead designer; Sewra. http://boutique.waistbeads.com/

Or do as I have did yesterday and string your own. Just know that waistbeads are tantalizing, sexy, and authentically AFRICAN. Whether you buy them handmade or string your own, just rock them with pride.

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My own handmade waistbeads