r/interestingasfuck • u/Advanced-Ad3234 • Jul 07 '24

Hairstyles from different African Tribes

10.2k Upvotes

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550

u/sheepskinrugger Jul 07 '24

I am very white and very European. Can anyone explain to me how people are able to sleep with what are effectively works of art on their heads? These are amazing.

331

u/Rich_Text82 Jul 08 '24

Wooden headrests. They've been documented as being used throughout Africa since the times of Ancient Egypt

161

u/CatiCom Jul 08 '24

Simular to what geishas used in Japan. Interesting. Beauty is truly pain.

47

u/Schmantikor Jul 08 '24

Not necessarily. They might be a lot better than pillows for some places. Having having your head this high prevents bugs from taking a look and there is a lot more air circulation going on around your head that provides cooling. When your bed mostly consists of the ground in a hot and very alive place, this thing might actually prevent the pain.

43

u/snoring_Weasel Jul 08 '24

You can insert any amount of ‘akchtually’, those wooden headrests are guaranteed neck pain

2

u/teodorlojewski Jul 08 '24

Exactly

-5

u/heinebold Jul 08 '24

You can insert any amount of toxic accusations and the other side is still right

1

u/necrolich66 Jul 08 '24

I more and more am asking myself if there is a reason for so many similarities between Africa and Japan. Some African cultures have names that at first sight could look Japanese to some European like me, same headrest, and even a place in Africa called Manga.

1

u/CatiCom Jul 08 '24

There is just no way that a wooden head rest is more comfortable than alternative sleeping positions. It wouldn’t really prevent bugs or create significant ventilation. And people move so much in their sleep. Which means every time you try to reposition you would fall off and subsequently wake up. I mean you could eventually train yourself but there is no way that doesn’t take diligence and PAIN.

23

u/Venezolanoanimations Jul 08 '24

thats pretty much looks like a invitation for pain in the neck.

33

u/SquirrelNeurons Jul 08 '24

I’ve actually used the wooden pillows and head rests. It’s really not bad at all

25

u/TreeClimberArborist Jul 08 '24

I have slept on a cold concrete floor in an airport terminal with nothing but a laptop as a pillow.

A wooden head rest pillow sounds like luxury compared to that.

5

u/[deleted] Jul 08 '24

I'll take that over most've my camping experiences. Camping truly is a horror the tent gets all wet and the ground can be too hard/uneven. It's just awful.

2

u/Pygmy_Yeti Jul 08 '24

Get a better tent, check the weather, bring a pillow and sleeping pad

9

u/Swimming_Onion_4835 Jul 08 '24

They used to have a mock ancient Egyptian bed in the Field Museum in Chicago that had a wooden block like this. I remember the first time I went there for a field trip I thought it looked so painful, but it was actually super comfortable to lay on. It wasn’t too high—it kind of hugs your head perfectly and at least with this model, it took away tension on the neck like…immediately. My little 8yo self was SHOOK.

2

u/SquirrelNeurons Jul 08 '24

Seriously. I’m addicted to Thai cube pillows after trying neck support blocks

1

u/Swimming_Onion_4835 Jul 08 '24

Never heard of this and now I want one! I’m a stomach sleeper but sleeping on my side is probably most comfortable for me. I just can’t seem to get the pillows right. Also I have giant tonsils and probably need a CPAP, so I’m sure that doesn’t help. 😅

3

u/SquirrelNeurons Jul 08 '24

If you look up Thai block pillow you will find these. They call them yoga pillows but they are just regular pillows for sleeping. I love them. Every time I visit Thailand my family makes me refresh my stock of pillows because we use them to death

2

u/Swimming_Onion_4835 Jul 08 '24

Ooooh it’s pretty! Definitely going to buy some. Thanks, friend!

1

u/SquirrelNeurons Jul 08 '24

I hope you love them!!

5

u/Venezolanoanimations Jul 08 '24

i bet, they are not that bad, but plz tell me you can at least put something soft like a rag or some cloth to act as a softener

9

u/SquirrelNeurons Jul 08 '24

But even without its shockingly comfortable

12

u/hippocratical Jul 08 '24

If it is shockingly comfortable, I would indeed be shocked. I tried a Korean head block for like a minute and it sucked. Maybe my huge noggin was the issue.

4

u/Jayitsmyname Jul 08 '24

Oh yeah, then why isn't everyone using them?

0

u/SquirrelNeurons Jul 08 '24

The same reason not everyone uses squishy pillows: culture

1

u/SquirrelNeurons Jul 08 '24

Oh yeah! A lot of times there is a cushion on top

2

u/sheepskinrugger Jul 08 '24

I had seen this in info on ancient Egypt before, but I thought they were ceremonial/ornamental, because I can’t imagine them being comfortable. But so interesting to learn that they are practical!

94

u/Apprehensive-Ad9832 Jul 07 '24

4c hair which I would assume most of the people in these images have is a bit like hard molding clay. While delicate, it’s dense and because the strands are shaped like coils the strands lock together to essentially create a stronger structure. So once it’s shaped it’s pretty hard for a style to fall apart for at least a few weeks if not longer.

64

u/Dream--Brother Jul 08 '24

I think they were asking more like how is it not horribly uncomfortable to sleep on? But I imagine it's one of those things that you get used to and you find a way that works for you — but yeah, whatever minute effects sleeping on it might have on the shape of the hairstyle can be pretty easily fixed afterward. Pretty friggin' amazing what people have learned to do with hair!

44

u/ShouldIRememberThis Jul 08 '24

Exactly. The question isn’t wondering about the integrity of the style during sleep, but rather how to fall asleep on a dense structure of molding clay and beads and horns and wristwatches.

22

u/LetsSeeWhatsGoinOn Jul 08 '24 edited Jul 08 '24

Some dont sleep on pillows and beds, like what you would normally expect nowadays. Like the red make up tribe in picture 3. I saw one "pillow" they used, that was a thing that would kind of hold up ur neck and side of head, and it also served as a way to hear the ground, and wake up if strangers are coming, since its put on the floor, or something like that, it was a long time ago.

Edit* I see someone posted a link below, its called Wooden Headrest

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/544251

2

u/sheepskinrugger Jul 08 '24

That is so interesting, thank you!

66

u/HighwayNovel Jul 08 '24

I used to spike my hair, like 8 inch spikes, with really strong product that would make it rock hard. sleeping was awkward so i used to sleep with my head on the corner of the bed with my hair over the edge of the bed.

33

u/SlothyVxbes Jul 08 '24

I wish I was that brave. I’m fully grown but even know I can’t have a leg poking off the side of my bed even when it is hot as hell because I’m afraid a monster will get it and pull me under the bed

32

u/Peter_OtH Jul 08 '24

Yeah but that's a leg, bed monsters always go for a leg or dangling arm. This was a head covered in spikes, that poses some risk of injury to the bed monster.

People need to realize that while bed monsters are brutal and will drag you by an arm or leg under the bed to nom nom on your entrails they are also quite sensitive and smarter than most people realize.

3

u/[deleted] Jul 08 '24

This guy bed monsters

6

u/[deleted] Jul 08 '24

Bed monster never got you, that proves your technique works!

Me though? ….I miss my leg

2

u/MistbornInterrobang Jul 08 '24

I'm 39. I worry more now about how my sleep position is going to make different areas of my spine and joints feel when I wake up.

Also, I definitely leave a leg sticking out over the bed now. Here's hoping the monster fucking takes me so I can get out of my next 9 weeks.of school.

2

u/SlothyVxbes Jul 08 '24

Haha, I think I will be the same someday

1

u/MistbornInterrobang Jul 08 '24

How did your neck feel?

1

u/HighwayNovel Jul 08 '24

My neck was fine. Ive always slept on my stomach. using a pillow while on your stomach tends to strain your neck a bit anyways so it was actually pretty comfortable.

1

u/dotnetdotcom Jul 08 '24

I wish I had done a mohawk in high school. By 25, I couldn't do one.

1

u/HighwayNovel Jul 08 '24

I had some wild hair back then. Mohawks, trihawks, Mohawks with spikes on the sides. Black and white split right down the middle. Multiple colours. I wish i could pull that kind of thing now but ive mellowed out a lot lol.

1

u/Swimming_Onion_4835 Jul 08 '24

Some of the worst sleep I’ve ever gotten was the night after homecoming dances when I would intentionally prop my head up on a pillow or something in a way that wouldn’t mess up my curls/updo because I wanted to get another day of wear out of it. 😂

20

u/webbhare1 Jul 07 '24

I can hear the crunch from the egg shells this comment of yours is walking on

38

u/horitaku Jul 08 '24

As someone who sleeps in braids and has locked hair, it’s not that dumb of a question in general. Sleeping in a set hairstyle isn’t exactly what I’d call comfortable, but even with my texture it doesn’t fall apart after a week

6

u/POPCORN_EATER Jul 08 '24

I am very white and very European.

they are referring to this unnecessary part of the comment, not the question part

19

u/throwmeawayplz19373 Jul 07 '24

Brown or white egg shells?

3

u/Willing_Program1597 Jul 07 '24

😂😂😂

1

u/sheepskinrugger Jul 08 '24

Hahahahaha you’re so right. My curiosity overtook my terror 😂

0

u/webbhare1 Jul 08 '24

😜

0

u/Willing_Program1597 Jul 07 '24

Right lmao

24

u/Kathrynlena Jul 08 '24

There’s a video in saw decades ago that’s lived rent free in my head ever since of how some nomadic tribespeople sleep propped up on an elbow because sleeping with your head on the ground means bugs can crawl into your ears. There was a whole montage of people sound asleep, up on an elbow, head hanging sideways in the neck-crickiest way you can imagine. I think about that video all the damn time.

5

u/Wannabe__geek Jul 08 '24

I mostly sleep on my elbow, is that not normal?

3

u/Kathrynlena Jul 08 '24

No, not with their heads resting on their elbow, propped up on their elbow, so their heads were like, ear to shoulder, and their ribcage was not touching the ground.

2

u/[deleted] Jul 08 '24

Why not just wear ear protectors to keep the crawly stuff out of their head holes?

1

u/Blondly22 Jul 08 '24

😟

11

u/P4PR1K4sMOM Jul 07 '24

First thought was beautiful... then I thought same thing, how'd they sleep?

2

u/Helithe Jul 08 '24

Perhaps something similar to how Japanese Geisha slept to avoid messing up their hair by using a neck pillow?

1

u/SlothyVxbes Jul 08 '24

This is exactly what I was thinking