African Beauties – Hair Art in Mali

Culture & Art 43' 2010 HD

Antelope moon, golden dates, desert flowers…there are hundreds of words which convey the beauty of African women. Copious amounts of time have been dedicated to this subject, in particular the amazing hair creations. Works of art, based on ancient knowledge, adorn the heads of women from the busy Malian metropolis of Bamako on the river Niger to the Sahara, the world’s largest desert, on which the Tuareg nomads roam. The film reveals whose dexterous fingers transform hair from its natural state into tamed beauty and shows diverse exponents of the profession – from street braiders to the winners of traditional braiding art competitions right up to hip hair salons.