The Braided Rapunzels of Africa & Other Tribal Trends

Submission by Ellen LaPenna, NM –

A blogger recently posted a picture of a young African girl from the Daasanach village wearing a bottle cap wig and I was really intrigued. These are strange and amazing times.

“The Daasanach people collect the caps of the Coca and beers in the bars of  Omorate and make wigs with them.”

A part of me felt horrified that indigenous peoples are so impacted by modern Western culture that they would incorporate our “junk” into their daily wear. But another part of me celebrates their innovative spirit and unusual aesthetic sense.

Maybe it models their ability to find new ways of dealing with changes that are inescapable – incorporating new and old ideas to create something beautiful.

Read more about these beautiful bottle cap wigs, the amazing African Rapunzels, and other very cool tribal trends from around the world.