Waist beads are beads strung on a thread that are worn as jewelry around the mid-section and hips. The traditional practice of wearing waistbeads has origins in West Africa, and the history and meanings vary amongst cultures and tribes.
Traditionally, waist beads were worn by women in West African cultures as a symbol of womanhood, fertility, beauty, sexuality, and to mark significant life stages like coming of age or transitioning into adulthood. They were also used as a way to monitor body changes due to their fitted nature, with tightness indicating weight gain.
Waistbeads are traditionally designed to be tied on. However, to serve people with certain restraints such as medical restrictions and/or touch sensory interpretations we provide a removable option.