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Head tie

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nigerian headtie
Gambian women in their head ties.

A head tie is a women’s head scarf which is used a lot in west and southern Africa, and among American Descendants of Slavery (ADOS).

The purpose of the head tie worn by enslaved African women was to protect their hair as they labored (or did heavy work).[1]

The head tie worn by West African women has been worn since the 1960s.

The name of the head tie varies according to region and historical context. These names have included: tignon (United States),[2] dhuku (Zimbabwe), tukwi (Botswana) and doek (South Africa and Namibia).


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References

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  1. "Fashionable Rebellion". Retrieved 2021-09-03.
  2. "Tignon Laws: Policing Black Women's Hair in the 18th Century". amplifyafrica.org. Archived from the original on 2021-09-04. Retrieved 2021-09-03.