Slaves used cornrows to transfer information and create maps to the north. Since slaves were not allowed to read or write they had to pass information through cornrows.
For many slaves, cornrows became an emblematic representation of resilience and resistance against Eurocentric beauty standards enforced by slave owners. Throughout American history, cornrows have continued to serve as an enduring symbol of African American pride and identity.
The patterns typically indicated which tribe a person belonged to and their stature within that tribe. Warriors and kings also used cornrows to show their status in society. Today, the style is seen worldwide and holds significance in West Africa, Sudan, and throughout the horn of Africa.
African-American, Afro-Latino and Caribbean folklore relates multiple stories of cornrows being used to communicate or provide maps for slaves across the "New World". Today, such styles retain their link with Black self-expression and creativity, and may also serve as a political expression.
Cornrows dated far back to 3000 B.C., particularly in the Horn and West coasts of Africa. In the early 1500s, the style was used as a communication medium amongst various African societies that were later forced to migrate to the Americas as slaves, where their customs followed.
The Vikings did not invent braids. Viking hair braiding can be traced back to the Viking Age (793 AD-1066 AD), whereas the origin of braids can be traced back 5000 years in African culture to 3500 BC with the Himba people of Namibia.
As we have seen from the (very limited) written accounts and the few period artifacts we have to pull from, Viking hair styles varied from short hair to long braided hair, and sometimes included shaved on the side and possibly even bangs over their eyes.
Cornrows helped enslaved Africans put up small acts of rebellion and resistance by not only allowing them to keep their heritage close, but also providing a discreet way to transfer information.
White women wore cornrows in ancient Greece and Rome, as well as Viking and Celtic cultures. I think the only reason it fell out of fashion for white women is because excessive braiding was brought up in the New Testament and seen as immodest in some Christian circles.
You can opt for classic cornrows, faux locs, or two-strand twists, to name a few. Plus, by protecting your ends, these styles can help you retain precious length and prevent breakage (especially if you've relaxed your hair or damaged it in other ways).
What's the difference between African braids and cornrows?
Choosing Between Braids and Cornrows
Cornrows might be preferable for someone looking for a style that's close to the head and lasts longer without much upkeep. Braids might be the choice for those seeking a more versatile and often less time-intensive style.
Laid edges, also called slayed edges or swooped edges, refers to a style of arranging the fine "baby hairs" at the edge of the hairline into flat, decorative waves or swirls. The style is sometimes referred to as simply baby hairs, and originates with African-American fashions of the 1990s.
In Africa, cornrows were a way to show people who you were. It can signify one's age, religious beliefs, kinship, marital status, wealth, and was also a form of self-expression. Women used shells, glass, corals, and fresh flowers among other items, to adorn their cornrows and express their personalities.
She then noted that the decision to wear her hair that way was influenced by her five-year-old daughter, North West. “My daughter actually loves braids, like this last time I wore [them], she helps me pick out a look and will show me pictures.
Mathemati- cally, cornrows work as fractals because most styles allow each crisscross ("plait") of the hair to diminish progres- sively in size, creating many iterations of scale in a single braid. ...
The term ``cornrows'' was introduced as slaves created the term because the hairstyles looked like corn on a field. Cornrows were also a sign of resistance as Emma Dabiri describes in her book, Don't Touch My Hair, that slaves hid signals and maps in plain sight of the slaveholders in their braided hairstyles.
A braid wasn't just a practical choice for keeping hair out of Viking faces—it was a mystical statement, a strand of beliefs worn proudly on one's head.
According to studies, cornrows originated in sub-Saharan Africa, with the earliest records of cornrows found on a cave painting in the Tassili Plateau around 3000 BC.
Braids — and cornrows, in particular — have a rich history in Black culture, she explains. The style was once used as a symbol of resistance for slaves, who braided rice seeds into their hair prior to their journey of enslavement in order to possibly grow food.
The forced removal of hair communicated that the Africans—whoever they were before they had been taken—no longer existed. Their cultures were to be stripped from them in the same way their hair had been. This was imperative in demonstrating the Africans' new position in the West: the lesser.
With limited tools and time to care for their hair, people got creative with what they had at their disposal—relying on bacon grease, butter and kerosene as conditioners, cornmeal as dry shampoo and sheep fleece carding tools as combs.
The Ragnar look, based on the character Ragnar Lodbrok, might be the most popular. To get this hairstyle for yourself, grow out your hair so it's at least shoulder-length. Shave the sides and back of your head, leaving the hair long on top. Make 3 braids with the top hair for the rough, Vikings look.
What kind of cultural and religious significance do Viking dreads have? For the Vikings, hair was a symbol of one's strength and honor and was believed to be a conduit for spiritual energy. By wearing their hair in a particular style, such as Viking dreads, they could connect with their gods and ancestors.
The Vikings traditionally associated the hair with wisdom and power; hence many Viking kings did not shave their heads. Also, due to the cold weather in the north, the Vikings avoided shaving to use their hair to protect their heads and ears from the cold.
