Cornrows (Paperback)

High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Cornrows (or canerows) are a traditional West African style of hair grooming where the hair is braided very close to the scalp, using an underhand, upward motion to produce a continuous, raised row. Cornrows are often formed, as the name implies, in simple, straight lines, but they can also be formed in complicated geometric or curvilinear designs. Often favored for their easy maintenance, cornrows can be left in for weeks at a time simply by carefully washing the hair and then regularly oiling the scalp and hair. Cornrowed hairstyles are often adorned with beads or cowry shells, in the African tradition. Depending on the region of the world, cornrows are typically worn by either men or women. A common way of styling hair among populations across the African continent, especially for cornrows survived for centuries in the United States and other parts of the New World as a style of hair preparation among enslaved Africans and their progeny.