Beads are usually small round pieces of
pierced glass, wood or metal strung
together to serve as adornment for the
waist, neck or ankle beads. Waist Beads are
common with females and they are an
excellent tool for women to feel more
feminine and beautiful.
These beautiful gemstone waist beads are
hand made and customized. The tradition of
wearing beads is an age long one, from time
immemorial; it has been worn for varying
reasons by the royalty, for body adornment,
deification and decoration.
The wearing of beads on the waist was
made popular by the Yorubas in Nigeria.
Overtime the culture of the use of beads
has been associated with both spiritual and
material reasons. In some parts of Africa,
the beads are anointed in oils and the
woman stands over a smoked pot and
commences to ‘smoke her self’.
This practice aids in sensory pleasure for
the man. Some beads are adorned with
bells, which is a signal to let the man know
that the woman wants to engage in se.xual
intercourse. The Yorubas have a revered
usage attached to the waist beads.
It is also worn as a form of birth control, as
a way of preventing obesity or also for their
‘healing’ and therapeutic powers. They refer
to the waist bead as ILEKE or LAGIDIGBA
is made of palm nut shells string together,
while the ‘bebe’ which is also worn around
the waist is made of glass.
The Yorubas have a belief that the waist
beads possess some erotic appeal and have
the power to incite desire or deep emotional
response on men. Waist Beads in Yoruba are
also used for birth control, the beads are
laced with charms and worn by the women
to prevent conception and were also around
the waist of baby girls to perfectly shape
her buttocks. Gone are the days when beads
have been thought to be worn by
‘UNSOPHISTICATED’, forward or slutty
women alone, also different stories abound
on the usage of waist beads by ladies and
some men who believe they are infused or
laced with charms or Juju or Juju will never
touch a woman wearing beads with a 10 foot
pole for the fear of falling under the
supposed spell of such women.
For a while, waist beads almost went into
extinction but now the re emergence of
beads has added a new dimension into the
craze among Nigerian Ladies. While some
men ablor it, some request their partners
get them as it makes them more sensual and
attractive
