Celebrating African Braiding: Get to Know the Iconic History of Nubian Twists on ‘Crowns of Africa’

Myths, inconsistencies, and many negative perceptions are often associated with hair and hairstyles, particularly those deeply rooted in African and Black traditions. Crowns of Africa, a new OkayAfrica four-part video series, explores the origins of hairstyles that started in Africa, merging historical facts with cultural relevance and contemporary context.

In the first episode, the history behind Nubian twists is examined, tracing the widespread adoption of hair weaving back to Africa – specifically, ancient Egypt. Archaeological research led to the discovery of 3,000-year-old weave extensions and multicolored extensions in ancient Egypt, proof of the inventiveness and significance of hair braiding at the time. Back then, hair was a beauty tool, with different braiding and tending styles used to signify status, age, and gender.

“The act of braiding has offered African communities opportunities to bond, develop skills, determine status, and pass down tradition,” says Zinhle Ngema, OkayAfrica’s social media reporter, in the video..

In the episode, Mariam, owner of Glamourous Braids in Cairo, Egypt, explains how she learnt how to braid, starting with cornrows. She also explains why braiding remains culturally significant to this day. Ngema then goes to Hanifa African Hair Braiding, a hair salon in New York City, owned by a woman from Burkina Faso, to get her hair braided into Nubian twists. While working, Hanifa’s owner, Fatima, explains the process of braiding Nubian twists and the important finishing details that make for the shiny, beautiful hairstyle.

You can watch episode one of Crowns of Africa below: