What Are Waist beads
What are waist beads?
Waist Beads are a type of jewelry worn around the waist or hip area. Originating in Africa, they are traditionally worn by women as a symbol of waist size, beauty, sexuality, femininity, fertility, well-being, and maturity. Today, in both Africa and the United States, women and men use waist beads for visual and practical functions.
Waist beads are a conventional piece of African jewelry made of tiny glass seed beads. Beads are strung onto various types of string or wire and worn around the waist or hips. Waist beads can be found in various colors and shapes and might also consist of decorative stones, crystals, or charms which makes each set more meaningful to its wearer.