The Sunday News
Peter Matika
IF you haven’t noticed or own a single piece of the latest trend in accessories – fashion beads, which almost everyone across the country, if not the globe is wearing then you must be living in a vacuum.This is a trend that I would like to believe began in Africa. African beads are a very significant formal wear accessory and over the past few months I have learnt to blend traditional African attire with modern trends and materials.
African beads can be worn by both women and men depending on the design of the beads.
These beads vary in size, length, colour, texture, shape, and more.
Beads have a sense of regality when worn, they somehow – especially for ladies complete an elegant look.
Typically, beads are mostly worn by women but lately men too have been wearing them, in the form of accessories of course. They come in the form of a rosary and arm bracelets with either the person’s name engraved on it or the name of whoever is close to them.
Women have a much wider selection of beads. Some are linked to gold balls for a more unique design. Some ladies beads come in sets – a necklace, bracelet and a pair of earrings.
Beads play a significant role in the African culture, both past and present.
It is a fact that Africans bestow great significance to their cultural artifacts, one of them being their beads.
The colour, size, shape and region on the body that the beads are worn meant many different things among them.
Large and colourful beads symbolised wealth and social status in many African societies. According to history, the Egyptian nobles were known for adorning even their pets with beads, while Nigerian kings also wore beads to show their royalty.
There were beads that were worn for fertility, especially by women around their waists. I read that in Uganda, it was a common practice for married women to wear beads around their waists to appeal to their husbands sexually and young women were taught to use the beads to satisfy their future spouses.
An interesting read if you ask me . . .
Beads were also used for barter trade and other forms of trade.
Today there are various types of beads made from many materials, such as ceramic and recycled glass.
Beads would be exchanged for food or livestock and were used as an early means of currency.
I understand that in some West African countries, trade beads had their own special markets because they were precious and rare and were used as a method of investment.
Beads also played a big role in the beliefs of African societies.
Many amulets and charms consisted of beads.
Nowadays, beads are being worn as accessories and I must admit they look fabulous and elegant.
Beads were also used by traditional doctors and fortune tellers; they would be thrown on a mat by the flick of a wrist to determine one’s fortune.
These beads were contained in gourds, which would be shaken to ward off evil spirits. Beads were used as part of African religious rituals, thereby increasing their value and respect.
Many other societies in Africa had unique uses for their beads such as for attracting members of the opposite sex, and as play items for young children and adolescents. Beads therefore had a big part to play in African cultures and held great meaning to those that believe in them.
Today perhaps because of how the world has been woven into a single village the message the beads of the old carried has been lost.
They, however, still carry the mark of Africa and are a must-have for most Africans.
I know that many people have visited traders at the City Hall, to get them a trademarked bracelet to satisfy their vanity but don’t really have a regard as to what the message these beads communicate.
Nonetheless they have one way or the other promoted African fashion.
Feedback:
Thank you for highlighting me in your article, the “deathly” odours of summer. – Dyk
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