Many black women wear the head wraps that get in touch with their ancestry and African Roots. Some just wear it for the fashion and when they don’t feel like doing their hair—I’m guilty of that!!!
SO here’s some history:
- It originated in Sub-Saharan Africa, which is South Africa.
- The white race imposed the wearing of wraps as a badge of enslavement during slavery.
- The stereotype black mammy came along with the head wrap, which is a black woman who is taking care of a white family, like a servant.
- The enslaved and their ancestors have looked at the head wrap as a helmet of courage that inspired an image of the true homeland (Africa).
- It’s a uniform of rebellion–signifying resistance to loss of self-definition. The style in which it’s worn is a cultural marker.
- Different cultures use head wraps, but the difference and significance is black women tie the scarf at the crown of her head, significantly portraying a crown—for Queen.
- Here are a few ways me and my friends have worn them:
I think it’s good to know why we do certain things, why we wear certain styles & brands and where these trends originate. Sometimes, people don’t care about the history of what brand they’re wearing or how it came about. Honestly, I don’t care either, sometimes. However, since it’s Black History Month and I wear these head wraps a lot, along with several other Black Women in this style, I just wanted to enlighten y’all and myself on the legendary head wrap!!
Sources: ThePatriot.co.zw
Shout out to my friends for being my models!!
Danii Gold 