Rihanna wants her sons to braid their hair to pay tribute to their ancestors

When they became parents, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky immediately knew their kids would have braided hair. And this was not an aesthetic choice. In both their cultures, the braid holds a strong history and heritage. “It is a form of protection for our ancestors. (…) It makes us realize where we came from,” explained the singer. vogue chinaOn the cover of the April issue.

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In fact, during the era of slavery, braids were a de facto means of survival for slaves. They were used to escape famine at the time of marriage, by hiding rice seeds through the branches of their hair. “This is our story, and I immediately wanted my kids to have braided hair. It’s something that’s in our blood,” the Barbadian continues.

The father of her two young boys, rapper A$AP Rocky, who is also from Barbados, almost always keeps his hair braided. Thanks to him, the artist was able to learn more about the cultural history of braids. “I have learned a lot from him because of having my hair in braids for so many years. This is really something that belongs to the past,” the mother added.

from generation to generation

If braids are important to her partner, it’s important to her too. The cast talks about how braiding was a moment of care for mother and child and how it can mean love and protection. “This is all a local mother could do for her children. “Some people grow up in single-parent families, whose moms work three jobs, and they don’t have time to kiss you every day when you go to school,” says Rihanna. “It is a form of protection. These are our roots. This is a tradition left by our ancestors.” Then it was clear to the couple: their children would wear braids. And then the singer does not hide the aesthetic side that he displays. “With injuries you can do a lot of things and get a lot of looks,” she told the magazine.

The braid is a symbol of identity in African culture, which later became popular all over the world. Rihanna also remembers seeing tourists sitting on the beaches of Barbados with their hair braided. “I wanted to do my own hair since childhood, but eventually I let girls at home or neighbors do my hair. “My mom used to do my hair too, but she always wanted me to go to the hairdresser so my braids would last longer,” the “Diamonds” singer explains.

The braid is more than just a hairstyle that has been worn since ancient times. This ancestral art is a heritage that has been passed down from time immemorial to women, from mothers to daughters. Looks like even boys are worried about it these days and Rihanna is busy keeping an eye on it.