Waist Beads, What’s the Orgin? Why so popular?- Sodivine Wear

Updated: Dec 7, 2020

Hey Family! I hope your Holiday Season started off right! I’ve been so distracted in the last few weeks I almost forgot to start Christmas shopping! Honestly, Bre and I planned to travel to Hawaii this year for the Holidays but unfortunately, Covid-19 cases have been on the rise. We didn’t want to risk our health for a vacation far away from home. Especially now that we are planning to expand our Family!

Pregnancy planning is intense and can be overwhelming at times. A woman’s body goes through so many changes. Recently I contacted my Sister, Enjoli Sodivine, mother of 2 & owner and designer of Sodivine Wear accessories for some pregnancy planning tips. She gave me some awesome tips, my favorite that stuck out were to wear waist beads. I know! What do waist beads have to do with planning for a baby? After some research, I definitely see why wearing them is a great place to start.

Orgin of Waist Beads

Waist beads have been apart of African culture since the 15th century. They are worn as a symbolic expression for womanhood, femininity, fertility, spirituality, protection, seduction, confidence, sexuality, intimacy, status, wealth, celebration and so much more! While some waist beads have energy crystals the main healing is through women embracing and celebrating themselves no matter the size.

Colors & Significations

The colors of the beads also have very specific significations. These meanings may vary from tribe to tribe, culture to culture, and they’re open to interpretation, but traditionally:

Blue: knowledge, healing, peace, truth, harmony — a cooling color symbolizing faith, devotion, deep insight. Green: fertility, prosperity, hope, harmony, healing and ripening, generous, humble. Red: self-confidence, vitality, sexual energy, passion, courage. Yellow: wisdom, knowledge, clarity, increasing awareness, and calming nerves.

My Sister handmakes these beautiful strands and sells them by color. I chose light green & dark green to start off with. Both of those strands represent so much of what I want to achieve in both my pregnancy journey & my life journey. Prosperity, Abundance, Fertility, Nature, Hope are just a few of the feelings I want to have daily in my life.

Popularity of Waist Beads

Although it has been gaining popularity in the U.S. and becoming “trendy,” waist beads are an age-old tradition in parts of Africa with distinct meanings, symbols, and history attached to them. Waist beads can be visible as a symbol of femininity, celebration, or aristocracy, or hidden as a way of self-care or confidence or intimate appeal. There are many reasons why waist beads were, and still are, an intricate aspect of African (and now American) culture.

Common Uses For Waist Beads

Waist beads have many different uses, here are a few named by Black and Gifted:

Adornment– Waist Beads help women embrace and honor their sexuality. They make women feel beautiful and help with a positive body image, self-love, and acceptance. Intimacy– Waistbeads are also worn for seduction and can provoke desire. Wives would often lure their husbands with the rattle of beads or use them as a means to communicate their fertility at certain times of the month. Weight Management– The practice of wearing several waist beads over time will help to keep the waist small and accentuate the hips. They can be a good tool to measure weight gain and loss. Celebratory Purposes– Throughout several countries in Africa, waist beads have been used to adorn girls in celebration of how they have matured. Traditionally, mothers adorned their daughters with waist beads during their first menstruation as a rise of passage into womanhood. Waist Beads tell the story of our womb. They remind us that our curves and everything within our belly are what makes us women.

Dive Deeper into the Sodivine Wear Brand

I am so proud & happy my sister brought this amazing tool into my life. She is an amazing Entrepreneur and designer.

“Sodivine Wear came from my love of big earrings and beautiful statement wood jewelry. The goal of Sodivine Wear is to provide quality handmade accessories that we are proud to wear. With pieces that make us happy and connect us to our Heritage. Sodivine Wear is made as a celebration of YOU! When you wear your Sodivine Wear jewelry pieces let them remind you that you came from greatness. Affirming you are a QUEEN. May you feel beautiful and hold your head high. To the KINGS: when you wear your wood chain may you stand taller and even more proud as you display a powerful message. Every moment is a blessing. Thank you for making your way over to my “lil’ place” of creativity. Welcome! Hopefully, you will find something so very special to add to your collection.” – Enjoli Sodivine

Please head over to SodivineWear.com to check out her entire collection from statement pieces, waist beads, to men’s jewelry. You won’t be disappointed. Sign up for her emails to receive 10% off! Tell her Milove of Life sent you!