African Beauty - Exotic Hairstyles in Mali (Documentary, 2010)

Antelope moon, gold date, desert flower... Hundreds of words describe the beauty of African women. No wonder - they walk through the world like queens. Their heads raised high, full of grace and elegance. Much time is devoted to the beauty, especially to the fantastic hair creations. Works of art based on ancient knowledge are created. The women of Africa have an infinite abundance of braided hairstyles.

A film by Désirée von Trotha and Michael Wolff

© 2010 Licensed by fact+film

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On the Niger River, in Mali's capital Bamako, lies an important centre of hair art. In 1960 Bamako had 100,000 inhabitants. Today it has about two million. Among them are many women who have a new hairstyle put on their heads every two to four weeks. The fleeting masterpieces carry such fantastic names as "Bogotiginou" or "Dembaku", are called "I pass", "snake" or "mango blossom". So it's hardly surprising that men get carried away with compliments like "Your beautiful hairstyle makes me blind to your mistakes". Even pop stars and other heroes are quoted. So there is "Shakira" or "Mandela". Also, the humour does not come too briefly if for instance hair creations are called "crooked" or "Congo rat". And like everywhere else in the world, youth breaks with traditions. Western ideals are often imitated. Smooth, long artificial hair is en vogue. At every corner and end of Bamako, hand-painted signs are eye-catching and advertise a variety of hairstyles. Even advertising posters hang in trees on the roadsides of residential quarters. Below them are Tresseuses, as hair weavers in the former French colonies of Africa are known. Street tresseuses offer the cheapest deals. At the upper end, hip hair artists stand in exquisite salons with prices of up to 150 euros.

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