ABOUT THE BOOK
Joy hums from this exquisite picture book celebration of the richness of the African heritage behind braids, locs, cornrows, and all manner of crowning glory, from ancient times to present day—perfect for fans of Sulwe and We Are the Ship.
With the lushest of language, a young girl getting her hair styled tells an overall history of African hair. Beads. Feathers. Cowries. Threads of gold. Ivory. Charcoal. Pearls. Bantu knots. Cornrows. Goddess Braids. Maps. Seeds. Afros. Clay. Dreadlocks. Woven with the greatest care. Across different African cultures. Everything rich with meaning.
- Centuries of meaning! Hair! It’s woven with history.
- It is living art—can be adorned with intricate rings, mother of pearl, feathers.
- It is identity.
- It shapes community.
- It can speak to age, wealth, or power.
- It provided escape maps for the enslaved to follow when written word was forbidden. Woven with seeds, pearls, gold, it provided a way to survive after escape.
- And to many, it contains the soul.
For centuries, people of African descent have faced prejudice and judgment over their hair. Backlash for their styles. Dictated to as to what styles are “acceptable”. But author Sope Martins boldly, exquisitely, subverts this all in her celebration of African hair and its complicated, powerful heritage.
REVIEW
The stunning illustrations combined with the poetic text as well as more descriptive expository text make for a beautiful book. Each spread begins by highlighting in poetry one way that hair styles exhibit people's history and identity. Each short poem is followed by additional text highlighting specific Nigerian/African ethnic groups and their related traditions and/or beliefs. Examples include the Yoruba culture who envision the earth as a 'goddess who combs her long hair with a hoe' or enslaved African people who use sheep carders to comb their tangled and matted hair. Uchendu's striking digital illustrations depict not only a variety of hairstyles but the cultures which they came to represent. The poetry is printed in a larger, darker font for emphasis allowing the book to be read simply, showcasing the wonder and beauty to be found in hairstyles that represent one's story. For those who want more information, the expository text mixed in with the poetry and included in the back matter provide additional insights into the cultural origins of various black hairstyles and traditions. Links are provided at the end of the book for those who want additional information about sources and references. A lovely book that highlights the beauty to be found in self-expression and the importance of learning about cultures from around the world. Highly recommended.
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