Unveiling the art of Indigenous threaded hairstyles in some selected areas in Ghana

Purpose: Indigenous threaded hairstyles are integral to cultural sustainability in many communities, which has recently been a cardinal discourse at global and local levels. This paper focused on unveiling the art of threaded hairstyles in some selected areas in Ghana. Design/Methodology/Approach: This article employs an interpretivism approach, which requires inductive reasoning and a small sample size. A purposive sampling method was adopted for this study. Relying on in-depth interviews, data were gathered from ten (10) hairstylists, five (5) artists, eight (8) threaded hair wearers and one anthropologist, as well as four (4) respondents from the cultural centres, with two from the Centre for National Culture in Kumasi and the other two from Centre for National Culture in Accra. The data was analysed using thematic analysis. Findings: The findings revealed four (4) distinct threaded hairstyles, two from the Ga Traditional Area and the other from the Kumasi Traditional Area. These hairstyles are portrayed in four primary visual art forms, the dominant being body art. Other art forms that appeared scantly were ceramic and wood sculptures. They all portray social symbolism. Research Limitation: This research focused on unravelling the art forms of Indigenous hair threading in the Kumasi Traditional Area and Ga Traditional Area of Ghana. Practical implications: This paper could help us understand the aesthetics of hair threading dynamics in Ghana and other developing countries. Social Implication: This study will assist development policy-makers in addressing sustainable Indigenous artworks, such as hair threading, by ensuring social, economic, and environmental stability for present and future generations. Originality/ Value: This study is based on a Knowledge Transfer Breakdown of the creativity and continuity of artistic tradition and the employable skills of human resources who make judicious use of available materials within their immediate environment.