In Africa, a bead is rarely a simple ornament. These beads are worn visibly as a sign of status or hidden as an invisible yet appreciable signal to a partner. When I was younger my mother gave me my own set of waist beads. I remember being so excited and eager to wear it because I had only seen them on the older girls. The beads had always symbolized growth and maturity. A mother would always pass it down to their daughter if she feels the daughter is ready to enter womanhood. Coming to America, almost nothing stayed the same. My whole lifestyle has been modified to fit the norms of an American society. Even at home, when I’m alone with my brother, we rarely speak our native language and it seems like we are slowly losing touch of where we came from. However one part of me that always reminds me of my roots and always makes me feel nostalgic is my waist beads. Every time the beads rattle or when my beads show, I feel grown and mature like the older girls in Africa that I used to look up to and I also feel proud to be an African and to be part of such a rich culture. The beads colorful strands symbolizes sensuality, fertility, healing and positive energy. The beads are something that every girl has to have in my country in order to pass into womanhood so its is important that I have it on always to remind myself that I am grown and that I have to be mature, modest and chaste so my mother could be proud of me and also the upcoming girls could also look up to me.

– Petrack Amankwah

Relationship:  Im/migrant who arrived as a child Im/migrant who arrived as a child