Waist beads

Waist beads are a piece of jewelry that is worn on the belly, waist, or hip area. These pieces, originating in Africa, are traditionally worn by women as a symbol of waist size, beauty, sexual sensations, femininity, fertility, well-being, and maturity. To make the ornament, beads are laced on thread, wire, or elastic string.[1]

Production

Waist beads can be made of glass, metal, crystals, gemstones, charms, wooden beads, or plastic beads. These materials are typically laced on a cotton thread, twine, thread, wire, clear cord, or elastic cord to make the ornament. The color and the materials used are symbolic in many African cultures and in moral personal meanings.

Traditionally, the first step to making the trinket is awareness of why it is being made. Next is to measure the waist and choose which material to lace the ornaments on, such as thread, twine, wire, cotton thread, or elastic string. Cut the string to the length of the desired placement of the waist bead on the waist, belly, or hip area. Then choose which colors and materials that the gaud should be made of. Afterward choose how the waist bead should be sealed, such as with a clamp, a tight knot, burning together of plastic, or some sort of crimp lock. Finally, take the premeasured string and begin to lace the preferred materials onto it, and once it is filled to its entirety seal the waist bead so that the beads will not fall off.

Meaning of waist beads

Waist beads were originated for a woman to represent their personal beliefs. This can be embraced through different gems, colors, crystals, and individual well-being. The uses for waist beads depend on why someone wants to wear them.

Uses
  • Fashion Statement: Many people today wear waist beads as a form of body jewelry or as an accessory.
  • Weight: Others use the waist bead to measure their waist size and over time the band will fall or roll up due to weight loss or weight gaining.
  • Culture: There are a variety of meanings for waist beads within the different cultures such as maturity and sexual attraction. Cultures that utilize waist beads are the Egyptian culture, Ghana, Yoruba, Ewe, Ashanti, Krobo, Ga-Adangbe, and others.
  • Spirituality: Those who are practicing the awareness of the spirit use the waist beads for personal performances.

Colors[2]

Colors are sensations of the eye with the reflection of light on many components.[3] Colors causes psychological effects that intensifies our genuine intentions.[4]

  • Red: passion, heat, sexuality, strength, and confidence
  • Pink: femininity, romance, and youth
  • Orange: activity, energy, encouragement, and fun
  • Yellow: optimism, joy, friendliness, wisdom and cheerfulness
  • Green: growth, renewal, freshness, hope, healing and life
  • Blue: business, royalty, reliability, trust, harmony and communication
  • Purple: luxury, mystery, spirituality, nobility, wisdom and royalty
  • Brown: natural, organic, strength, durable, stability, honesty, and wholesomeness
  • White: purity, innocence, truth, and simplicity
  • Black: power, sophistication, boldness, classic, and distinctive[5]

Gemstones and Crystals[6]

Gemstones and crystals come from the earth's surface.[7] Many believe there are healing properties and other properties that can be obtained from their materials.[8]

  • Zircon: energy-stimulate that can initiate any chakra
  • Yellow Sapphire: aids manifestation and success by enhancing desires
  • Watermelon Tourmaline: calms the mind and emotions for inner peace
  • Unakite: clears spiritual toxins
  • Turquoise: stimulates the throat chakra for wisdom
  • Tiger Eye: helps establish stable emotions
  • Sunstone: instills powers of the sun such as leadership and enthusiasm
  • Sodalite: rising the awareness of the mind
  • Snowflake Obsidian: infuses courage
  • Ruby: activates passion
  • Pearl: physical healing
  • Pink Diamond: means fortune, problem solving, and potential soul mating[9]
  • Opal: detachment to negative emotions
  • Moss Agate: embraces nature
  • Moonstone: feminine abilities and mystery
  • Moldavite: known for spiritual awakening
  • Lepidolite: aids with stress and overthinking
  • Lapis Lazuli: gives a royalty energy
  • Kyanite: this has specific powers based on the color, but communication and imagination is enhanced
  • Kunzite: hears what your hearts says and divine love
  • Jet: gives protection and pure energy
  • Jasper: establishes stability and grounding
  • Jade: holds the Earth's energy of nurturing
  • Iolite: heightens inner vison
  • Howlite: uplifts calm energies
  • Green Amethyst: connects the solar plexus chakra, heart chakra, and crown chakra
  • Gold: "the master healer" [10]
  • Galaxy Opal: instills intuition and protection from illness[11]
  • Fluorite: cleanses a cluttered mind
  • Emerald: triggers the heart chakra
  • Diamond: encourages pure inner power and spiritual guidance
  • Dark Matter: life, knowledge, protection, fertility and detoxification[12]
  • Citrine: aids manifestation and clears true desires
  • Carnelian: helps enhance confidence
  • Blue Lace Agate: instills truth in communication
  • Amethyst: gives protection and heightens wisdom

Origins

Waist beads originated in Egypt, where they were called girdles. Egyptians wore them around their waist or lower waist.[13] Girdles were made of chains, wire, thread, and shells, and contained multiple colors.[14] Today, people from many African cultures wear waist beads, including Ghanaians, Senegalese, Yoruba, Ewes, Ashantis, Krobos, Indians, and Ga-Adanbes. Each culture has its own reason for wearing theem.

Ghanaian culture[15]

In Ghanaian culture, woman begin to wear waist beads due to aging and orders from their mothers. This symbolizes maturity and the beginning of womanhood. "Dipo" is the initiation ceremony that is held for the young lady. The beads are worn on the neck, ankles, and waist. They are worn on the waist as pieces to resemble luck. The waist beads are made of seeds, seashells, glass pieces, teeth, ivory, and stones. The majority of the beads were hand-painted. The bigger the beads are the more mature the woman is sexually. As of today, they are a fashion statement.

Yoruba[16]

The Yoruba waist beads are called Ileke, Jigida, and Lagidigba. They are traditionally a piece of jewelry and a piece of their spirituality. Using glass, nuts, different woods, and metals they create beautiful beads for the waist. These are worn as a symbol of confidence and femininity, fertility, and well-being. They are worn for posture, pregnancy, beauty, weight tracking, protection, growth, sexual desire, and royalty.

Bibliography
  • Moroney, Morgan. (2022). "Egyptian Jewelry: A window into Ancient Culture". Johns Hopkins University. [17]
    • This article explains the ancient Egyptian jewelry based on their culture through the American Research Center in Egypt, therefore the information presented has been thoroughly analyzed and studied.
  • Yates, Jacquline. (2022). "Waist beads are the exquisite adornments tied to empowering women, celebrating rich culture". Good Morning America. [18]
    • This is a very popular news site, so it should be reliable but does not provide any references of in-depth research.
  • Uju. (2021). "The African Waist Beads - Meaning, Significance And Uses". Answers Africa. [19]
    • This is a news and entertainment website that conducts in-depth investigation on topics to provide reliable information to the community.
  • Huyhoa. (2022). "Waist Beads: Everything You Need To Know".
    • This is where a team of people come together and blog to share their wisdom about many different topic, there is a section that lists the references to provide creditable evidence.[20]
  • Dwell Ghana. (2019). "Ghana's Incredible Bead Culture".
    • This is a site that assists in relocation people to Ghana that provides knowledge about the Ghana Culture with references provided.[21]
  • Canva. (2022). "Color meaning and symbolosm: How to use the power of color". [22]
    • Canva explains many colors in depth.
  • Beadage. (1998–2022). Gemstone Meanings & Crystal Properties.[23]
    • The website defines the meaning of many different crystals and gemstones.
  • Gemstone Dictionary. "The meaning of Pink Diamond".[24]
    • The gemstone dictionary explains what different gemstones mean, I used it for the pink diamond.

References
  1. "Waist Beads: Everything You Need to Know". huyhoa.net. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
  2. "Waist Beads: Everything You Need to Know". huyhoa.net. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
  3. "Definition of COLOR". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2022-04-28.
  4. "12 Color Meanings - The Power and Symbolism of Colors (Infographics)". Color Meanings. Retrieved 2022-04-28.
  5. "Color meaning and symbolism: How to use the power of color". 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. "All 100+ Gemstone Meanings & Crystal Properties". Beadage. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
  7. "Gem Formation: How are Gemstones Created? - Gem Society". International Gem Society. Retrieved 2022-04-28.
  8. "All 100+ Gemstone Meanings & Crystal Properties". Beadage. Retrieved 2022-04-28.
  9. "Pink Diamond Meanings". www.gemstone7.com. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
  10. "gold mineral meaning - Search". www.bing.com. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
  11. "Opal Meaning: Healing Properties, Benefits & Uses". 2021-06-18. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
  12. "The Meaning of Black Crystals and Stones | Black Color Meaning". Cape Cod Crystals. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
  13. "Ancient Egyptian Jewelry". www.ancient-egypt-online.com. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
  14. "[Egyptian Jewelry: A Window into Ancient Culture] | American Research Center In Egypt". www.arce.org. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
  15. "GHANA'S INCREDIBLE BEAD CULTURE". Dwell. 2020-05-05. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
  16. RefinedNG (2020-10-31). "Yoruba Waistbeads". Refined NG. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
  17. "[Egyptian Jewelry: A Window into Ancient Culture] | American Research Center In Egypt". www.arce.org. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
  18. America, Good Morning. "Waist beads: The exquisite adornments tied to empowering young girls, womanhood". Good Morning America. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
  19. "The African Waist Beads - Meaning, Significance And Uses". AnswersAfrica.com. 2016-04-02. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
  20. "Waist Beads: Everything You Need to Know". huyhoa.net. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
  21. "GHANA'S INCREDIBLE BEAD CULTURE". Dwell. 2020-05-05. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
  22. "Color Meaning and Symbolism: How to use the power of color".
  23. "All 100+ Gemstone Meanings & Crystal Properties". Beadage. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
  24. "Pink Diamond Meanings". www.gemstone7.com. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
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