Growing up in the 80’s before starting a new week at school, our mothers or sisters would neatly plait some hair wraps, commonly known as mabhanzi in the Shona language because of its resemblance to buns, on our heads.
On the first day of the week we would compare each other’s hairstyles to see whose wraps were the prettiest.
Some decorated their hair with ribbons; others clipped it together using hairpins but the wraps were the cutest and the most inexpensive hairstyle of that time where one would only require knitting wool or sewing thread to produce a stunning hair-do.
As time went on, the hairstyle’s appeal faded. Those that came years after were now a new style of braiding cornrows, these were stylish lines plaited using the hair only or with an additional braid.
Cornrows managed to last as a fashion trend for many years until recently when the hair wraps suddenly resurfaced in a more trendy and modernised way for all ages.
The wraps (“buns”) are back with a bang, this time more creative and unique, causing a lot of women to folk out money ranging from $25 to $35 just to get a professional wrap.
“The style is back with extreme modernisation as it comes in different colours and looks more like natural dreadlocks,” said a local braider, Masi Kahuta.
She said unlike in dreadlocks where one has to cut their hair short to do the hairstyle, with wraps hair length did not matter and they were strong enough to last for a longer time than the usual hairstyles of today.
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Kahuta added that after a one off plaiting of the whole head, the style could be re-styled over and over again into various styles including, semi circles, Mohawks and loose braids amongst other fancy designs.
“I love this style I can keep it for over two months and still have it look new, the wool helps the growth of my hair and it is easy to maintain,” said a modern hair wrap fan, LeeAnn Idi.
For every 10 minutes you walk in any direction of Harare CBD, you are bound to meet one or two women sporting the stylish hair wraps
