… Know the secrets of their ankle-length hair

Forget the myth that black women have short hair. The Mbalantu women in Africa have really long hair.

In Namibia and Angola, the Mbalantu women proudly defy expectations with their long hair that reaches their ankles. They are often called the Braided Rapunzels.

What’s the secret? It isn’t a secret from the past; it’s a living tradition passed down through generations.

Mbalantu women and their hairstyles have inspired modern braids [x]

The Mbalantu women use a particular homemade blend of “omutyuula” (acacia) bark and fat. This keeps their hair moisturised and avoids damage and breakage at a young age.

As a Mbalantu girl matures, her hair becomes a part of her journey. Around the age of 12, specific ceremonies are held to promote hair development. The girl is required to coat her hair with a thick paste prepared from the finely powdered tree bark of the “Omutyuula” tree mixed with fat.

The young girl will live with this thick combination on her scalp for years before it is freed to reveal the hair.

The Eembuvi braid looks like many popular braided hairstyles [facebook]

The Eembuvi braid looks like many popular braided hairstyles [facebook]


After the base is built, fruit pips and long sinew strands are tied to the hair, which finally evolves into the characteristic “Eembuvi” braid. These strands reach the ground by the time a girl enters the “Ohango” initiation ceremony at sixteen.

After the base is built, fruit pips and long sinew strands are tied to the hair, which finally evolves into the characteristic “Eembuvi” braid.

These braids reach the ground by the time a girl reaches the “Ohango” initiation ritual at the age of 16, symbolising her passage into womanhood.

As a mature woman, her hair receives an additional coating of the “omutyuula” mixture to keep it growing.

When married, the “Eembuvi” braids are organised into a headpiece, which can be so heavy that it requires support from a rope or skin strap.

This style represents her marital status and only changes during big life events such as motherhood.

The famous knotless braids and many braid hairstyles are inspired by the Mbalantu women’s “Eembuvi” braids. Their commitment to tradition and distinctive hair care practices demonstrate the value of culture.

By TheInterviewsNigeria

Publisher/Editor -in Chief with more than a decade of working in the media production industry, Our preoccupation is Development News and rooting for innovation locally and internationally. We are British trained Business English PRO. We edit manuscripts for book publication, translation(English/Yoruba/French). We cross your 't's' and dot your 'i's. We are also into speech draftsmanship and photography; Business reports, and proposals, with minimal cost. Meeting the deadline is our watchword. We would cover your Social /Public events with precision. The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Call-08144956897, 08057355037 E-mail- theinterviewsng@gmail.com, akintunde.idowu@gmail.com

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