‘Crowns of Africa’ Reveals the Cultural Depth of the Albaso Braids

Hair braiding in East Africa has roots all the way back to 3500 B.C. One of the most common styles originated from the region — specifically Ethiopia and Eritrea — is the Albaso braids, a hairstyle with deep cultural significance and some religious relevance. The final episode of OkayAfrica’s 4-part series, Crowns of Africa, explores the unique beauty of a hairstyle that has retained its essence to date and has also become malleable to fit the preferences of many black women in and outside East Africa.

Albaso braids can represent multiple things. The style, which combines cornrows in the front with a loose mane in the back, offers wearers the flexibility to create their desired look and convey their intended message. “The way each person chooses to style their braids changes, as they’re often worn to represent the region’s many ethnic groups,” OkayAfrica Social Media Reporter Zinhle Ngema explains, adding that the hairstyle can symbolize a person’s religious belief, social and marital status, as well as an indication of a future ceremony.

In Addis Ababa, Yostina, the owner of Afrovescent Beauty, shares that Albaso braids are one of many popular braiding styles in Ethiopia’s ethnic and cultural diversity, particularly popular in the Tigray and Amhara regions. She also explains the significance of the fish — Asa Shuruba — as the main structure of the front cornrows, which many believe are signs of fertility, femininity, social status, and more. Yostina also shares how the versatility of styling Albaso braids has evolved to allow the use of synthetic, enhancing elements like sponges and other fabrics to make the looser lower part fuller and exaggerate the asa shuruba.

Fatima, the owner of Hanifa’s African Hair Braiding salon and resident Crowns of Africa hairstylist, recreates the style in New York and guides viewers through the process of making weaves in the back and braids in front. She adjusts the structure to fit the client’s preference for medium-sized styling, highlighting Albaso braids’ appeal as a hairstyle that can be readily modified.

You can watch episode four of Crowns of Africa below.