Written by USMAN HIBATULMUIZ
In today’s society especially in Nigeria, waist beads as an accessory, has been a topic that has been heavily debated upon . Most people even frown against it’s usage, some say it’s a taboo and should not be used to adorn the waist. Here in Africa where most of the things that built up our cultural heritage and significance have been replaced with the practices of the western culture, waist beads are not an exemption. After much research, I discovered that waist beads were one of the treasures we Africans lost to the colonial era. one funny fact is this particular accessory is not only being used as a trend currently but, it’s now being adorned by westerners and black American women all over the world. Waist beads are not only used as a fashion accessory but also a means to maintain a nice curvy shape. Some benefits and facts most poeple didn’t know about the waist beads are:
- It is used as a lovely fashion piece , it’s usage is similar to that of the waist chain .
- Over time, the waist bead helps to sharpen the body of the person wearing them by making her waistline smaller and hips bigger. In otherwords, I’d like to call it a natural waist trainer as it has no disadvantages at all and can be worn Everytime for as long as you want . Unlike the waist trainer being made today, though they have significant importance in the fitness journey of a person , however should not be worn for too long as it can lead to complications like ;
- Stomach muscle rapture which requires a surgery to correct .
- Suffocation due to the tight nature of this piece of clothing, it reduces the functionality of the lungs as all internal organs are being compressed together. As a result, it can lead to the reduction in the supply of oxygen in ones body which can cause loss of consciousness or even death in some cases.
- Waist beads increase one’s sexual drive or desires in both male and female.
- It helps one to diet effectively without having to starve yourself of derive yourself of your favourite food or snacks which in turn helps u maintain a healthy weight.
5.waist beads are used to monitor weight gain and weight loss ; When the beads become tight and move upwards to your tummy area it indicates weight gain and when they fall to your hip area and become loose, it indicates weight loss.
- In some parts of the world they are used for protection against the evil eye this explains why some pregnant women wear them although they are absolutely safe to wear as it poses no harm to mother or child .
One uniqueness of these beads is that they come in different colours and sizes and each colour has a lovely meaning attached to it :
Red beads signify : physical love , strong emotions and self confidence
Orange beads signify : Happiness , sociable and energetic
Yellow or golden beads signify : wealth , knowledge and calmness
Green beads signify: contentment, domestic bliss , and health
Blue beads signify: devotion, fidelity and truth
Purple beads signify : power , Intuition and perception
Pink beads signify : feminity, healing and friendship
Silver/grey beads signify: wisdom , communication and mediation
Brown beads signify: practicality, security and humility
Black beads signify: marriage, regeneration and protection
White beads signify: spiritual love, virginity and open universe energy.
Years ago, although still practiced in some countries in Africa , when a child is born both male and female, a waist bead is put on them . Although, when they start to grow, that of the male child is taken off and that of the female child is changed. This signifies her maturity as a woman.
Nonetheless, I understand why people are skeptical about using waist beads especially in this part of the world where young ladies use them for diabolical means . But, if we are thinking logically here and we are being honest , it’s not enough reason to throw away such a lovely cultural accessory as any piece of clothing or accessory can be used for diabolical means too. for example the “Ring”.
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