Most times, the intricate patterns used to cornrow their hair were used to deliver secret messages.Ĭornrows were not only used as a form of expression, but also played a key role in affording many of us the liberties and freedom we enjoy today.Ĭornrows being used to weave maps and deliver secret messages is evidenced in Colombia by Benkos Bioho.īenkos Bioho was a King who was captured from Africa by the Portuguese.Īfter escaping from captivity, he built San Basilio de Palenque in Northern Colombia in the 17th century.īenkos Bioho then created his own language and came up with women using cornrows to weave escape maps & routes.Ĭornrows are braided using an undercut method where a continuous raised row is created. How Cornrows Were Used as an Escape Map From Slaveryĭuring the Trans Atlantic Slave trade, women would use their hair to weave maps and routes that they’d use to escape. Referred to as cornrows or canerows to represent slaves planting corn or sugarcane, cornrows date back to as early as 3000 BC.ĭespite being adopted by both men, women and children from various groups and races, cornrows are not your typical hairstyle.
In the past, different hairstyles and braiding patterns were used to identify people based on their age, community or marital status in African communities.
Like many braided hairstyles indigenous to Africans, and the Black Community at large, Cornrows carry with them a rich history. Everything You Need to Know About Cornrows Featuring 15 Cornrow Braids Hairstyles
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