CAMO 11
“Rising early makes the road short.”
African Proverb
The subjects hair holds bottle caps from drinks found around Kenya, with the most distinct being Tusker- a local brand the country is globally known for. Soft drinks are often used during cultural events, most notably during the Kikuyu pre-wedding meetings of families. At these cultural events, a girl will pour a soft drink for her suitor after dowry negotiations to symbolize that she is agreeable to marrying him. If a girl refuses to pour a drink for her suitor when requested to do so by her father, she is indicating she does not want to marry.
Beads are a big part of adornment in Africa, whether for children or adults, and there is a rich history of wearing beads for both beauty and to symbolize messages of status, age group and so forth to the larger community in one glance without speaking a word. In modern times, adult women wear beads in their dreadlocks, cornrows and braids to dress up, using cowrie shells, large etched wooden beads, delicate cutout metallic beads and everything in between. Beads have surged back into fashion in current years, as the younger Africans rediscover them from their traditional roots, so that within the trendy circles of the cities, many women and men are incorporating them into their hair styles and fashionable looks.
Photography, 2021
Jet Ink Print of FineArt RAG+ Matt 310g mounted on aluminium dibond in black pre-made float frame
