Traditional African Hairdressing
In Africa hairdressing is done by trusted friends and family, making a visit to the hairdresser a very social experience.
In African culture hair is extremely significant and is tightly associated with a persons individual identity. As a result of this association, long hours spent at the hair salon and serious amounts of money spent on hairstyles is commonly accepted.
At CitiHair Extensions (Afraic Hair Couture) our specialist African hairdressers continue on this long tradition of hairdressing as a social experience. We are specialist African Hair Studio in Melbourne.
African Dreadlocks
People are often surprised to discover that dreadlocks don’t originate in Africa, where the hair fashion of dreadlocks has existed longest.
It’s unclear whether dreadlocks first appeared in India or Egypt; what we do know is that from historical accounts, many cultures have worn dreadlocks.
From the Celts to Germanic tribes and Vikings. Dreadlocks have been famously worn by many other national cultures, for lots of different reasons.
For some, dreadlocks are believed to give the wearer super-human strength by preventing your inner energy from escaping.
At other times in history, dreadlocks have symbolised that the wearer has chosen to reject vanity. In the same way that people shaved their head bald to communicate their personal rejection of self-image.
In Africa, dreadlocks and their styles were used to signify the different ethnic groups a person belonged to. For example, the Masai warriors are known for their long, thin, red locs, where as the Ashanti from Ghana wear the type of dreadlocks that Rastas in Jamaica wear.
It’s thought that the Jamaican Rastafarians learnt of this hair style from the slave ships and era of slavery.
CitiHair and their specialist African hairdressers in Melbourne carry on this important style of hairdressing.
African Hair Braiding
In Africa wearing your hair loose signifies mourning, untidiness or filthiness. Which is why braiding holds such a strong place in African hairdressing culture.
It is considered good manners to have well groomed braiding and also a sign of healthiness.
From a very young age, African children are taught and practice braiding. Using palm oil, shear butter or Argan oil to protect the hair from extreme heat.
Historically African women in Namibia would lengthen their braids artificially with sinew. Today, they use hair extensions instead.
Cornrows, braiding the hair close to the scalp, is thought to have come from Africa, where ethnic groups created their own distinctive patterns to signify everything from age to marital status.
Cornrows have been popularised by African-American celebrities such as Beyoncé and Alicia Keys, among many others.
More recently, cornrows are being “re-branded” by marketing, PR and media types. With names like “boxer braids”, “KKW braids” and “birthday braids”.
CitiHair hairdressers are practiced African hair braiders and carry on the traditions they learned in Africa, at the salon in Melbourne.
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One of our stylists will look at your own natural hair and let you know the best method, colour and african dreadlocks style for your needs and budget.
