My mother's protective style: twisting with thread

[againstallodds]

I was walking towards my kitchen tonight when I noticed my cousin doing something new to my moms hair. She was twisting her hair with thread (the thread used for putting in tracks). I've never seen my mother do this to her hair before and had to do a double take but she told me she used to have this done to her hair when she was younger in Haiti.

The thread is wound around the section of hair from root to end and is used as a protective style. In the pictures, the ends of each twist are tucked into the next twist, but this isn't usually done, my mother has them tucked in because of her hair length (NL), the twists might unravel.

The twists feel tight and the hair feels very protected. My only concern is that they're a a tad too tight at the edges . Interesting protective styling though

 

[God's Anointed]

Oh wow, i remember that style !!! I used to do this to my hair alot when i was natural. It was actually a great protective style because it was very low manipulation and you could still moisturize the hair through the yarn. It looks tight on your mom's hair though, maybe she should loosen it up a bit so it doesn't strain the edges too much. I wish i had pics to show too but this was way before i cared about taking care of my hair... Oh, and it was also the time when my hair was thick, natural and kinda lengthy, i wanna say about APL...

 

[Adaoba2012]

WOW! My mom used to do this style on me and my sister when we were very young..I haven't seen it in years though. Thanks OP you just brought back a childhood memory.

 

[Sonye93]

This used to be my favorite hairstyle when i was younger (because it made my hair look longer from stretching it) LOL. I never knew they did this in Haiti (I have a Nigerian background), my mom called them "some/sun gaps".

 

[Adaoba2012]

I'm nigerian too!! My mom always called them African Twists..but I guess they aren't just exclusive to Africa. Definitely a great protective style

 

[LivinMyLifeLikeItsGolden]

I am Nigerian too, and my mom just had her hair like that the other night to go to bed!

 

[whitedaisez]

me three, i am nigerian! and i used to do it a lot when i was young (i was relaxed). i still do it occasionally. my only problem with it is that it doesnt very long before it begins to unravel.

 

[cocoagirl]

I am ghanian and my momma used to do my hair like that back in the day too!!

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

I'm Haitian, I never had this done but this goes to show you how closely tied the traditions of the carribbean are to the motherland.....it all originates there!

 

[msbettyboop]

I’m Nigerian too. This was the style of choice when we were kids. Great for growing hair and keeping it from getting tangled. It’s called “kiko” back home. Lasts about 2 weeks depending on how well done it is and how well you preserve it.

 

[Urban]

I used to get this done when I was little too. I'm African aswell.

 

[scarcity21]

This used to be my favorite hairstyle when i was younger (because it made my hair look longer from stretching it) LOL. I never knew they did this in Haiti (I have a Nigerian background), my mom called them "some/sun gaps".

Lol...havent heard that in a while, thats what grandma called them...Yep...Nigerian too and my grandma used to do this hairstyle on my sis and I...It really stretches the hair and prevents tangling. As a matter of fact, that was the only style grandma would wear, she would keep it in for a month at a time and wash as needed, she's natural and back then her hair was very long ( i would say BSLish), she keeps it as a TWA now

 

[hothair]

Me 10!!! My mum was just saying I should get the girl to do this on me since I'm determined to grow my hair. I used to get it done as a child, we just called it threading or sungaps where there were gaps like the one in OP's post.

The ones that lasted 2 weeks (with no gaps) seemed the best for me, but were stiffer initially. Also its great for "straightening" the hair much like banding.

 

[Chameleonchick]

This is so cool. My grandma did this on my mom and aunts when they were little.

 

[nikki2229]

Hi Ladies,
I am a little lost. Does the thin thread help keep the style longer by helping it not unravel?

 

[Maracujá]

I'm Angolan and I used to have it done when I was little, it made my hair grow so much so I decided to do it again last year, my mom did it for me.

It's what helped me reach APL and I'm planning on doing it again next year in the summer.

 

[Urban]

^^ That looks awesome Maracuja! My problem with going back to this style is I always thought it looked childish, but that style looks great!!! ...hmmm... now to find someone who'll do it for me....

 

[my1goodnerve]

This looks like the protective style that I've been looking for to give my DD's hair a needed retention boost! We are in negotiations because she hates cornrows, and she's sick of twists. For two weeks she wore an afro with either flowers or a headband, and her friends either absolutely loved it or absolutely hated it. Opinions didn't matter to DD, she was wild, free, and happy and that's all that mattered to her.

But we were talking last night, and she wants her hair to grow beyond her shoulders. I thinks she understands that she's got to go into protective mode, but finding styles that allow her to be that wild, free, happy tween are going to be difficult.

So, a coupla questions. Do the ends have to be tucked in or attached? If not, how do you secure the thread and cover the ends? Any particular kind of thread? Maracuja, how long did you keep this style?

 

[Chaosbutterfly]

I'm Nigerian too and my mom used to do this to my hair. She never made it pretty like Maracuja's or your mom's though. She would just thread them and leave them. Some would hang down, but some would stick straight out. Think Goku from Dragonball Z.

Anyway, it was a great protective style...pretty much no manipulation and if the hair was well moisturized when the hair was threaded, it would be soft and stretched when the thread was removed.

But your mom's does look a tad bit tight...my mom and most people I've seen doing it don't make it quite so tight.

 

[melodies815]

What a great protective style!!! I have never heard of this in my life, but I am AA and can't trace my roots back further than 1890-something in the DC area....

Bumping to see if there are more pictures that would suit an adult woman and her tween DD....

Thanks, OP!!


Christi

 

[wavezncurlz]

The little Nigerian girls in my mom's Kindergarten classes used to wear this style. I thought it was so pretty. For the longest time, we couldn't figure out how they did it.
This thread brought back memories.

Also, how cool is the African Diaspora. Brown folks wearing this style all over that world!

 

[KiSseS03]

It's looks so pretty!

I had this done once as a little girl. Some West African ladies were at my church one Black History Month to perform, and in the end they did all the little girls' hair. My mom wasn't much of a braider so she had me and my little sis first in line I loved it even back then.

 

[temfash]

I’m Nigerian too. This was the style of choice when we were kids. Great for growing hair and keeping it from getting tangled. It’s called “kiko” back home. Lasts about 2 weeks depending on how well done it is and how well you preserve it.

I remember this style anyone remember (Eko bridge)

 

[mscocoface]

I wonder if this is on youtube somewhere. Maracuja I love the style you have.

 

[Maracujá]

Do the ends have to be tucked in or attached? If not, how do you secure the thread and cover the ends? Any particular kind of thread? Maracuja, how long did you keep this style?

I always keep it for a month when I do this style, the first time I did it I washed my hair after two weeks, the second time I didn't wash it for a month. My mother always twists my hair with thread until the very end, she then secures them all together and tucks it away under the hair, it's very difficult to explain and I don't know if it's apparent on the photo.

 

[wavezncurlz]

Black girl with long hair did a story on threaded braids last year. See link:

http://blackgirllonghair.blogspot.com/2009/02/african-style-week-threading.html

 

[againstallodds]

I'm Haitian, I never had this done but this goes to show you how closely tied the traditions of the carribbean are to the motherland.....it all originates there!

Very true BMP!!

 

[againstallodds]

Black girl with long hair did a story on threaded braids last year. See link:

http://blackgirllonghair.blogspot.com/2009/02/african-style-week-threading.html

Oh wow, thanks for posting that link!

 

[julzinha]

Yeah. I remember my mom would always do this to my hair as a child. I still use it when I am trying to stretch my hair without heat. After I deep condition and detangle. I lightly blow dry then wrap my hair in thread it is great for no heat methods to stretch your hair.

 

[naturalmanenyc]

I'm intrigued. I like this one for a special event: