The Art of Photography: Memoirs of Hairstyles and their Symbolic Meaning in Ikwerre Traditional Hairdo

This work examines the symbolic meaning of common indigenous hairstyles in Ikwerre Local Government of Rivers State, Nigeria through the lens of photographic documentation and interpretation. Westernization has made women of today to disdain the wearing of traditional hairstyles, which were cherished and adorned in ancient time. As a problem, this has relegated and caused great havoc to the growth of the culture by the gradual fading away of the wearing of these traditional hairstyles. For education, promotion, and posterity, it is crucial to document some available traditional hairstyles within the localities before they go into extinction. This work adopts a qualitative approach combining photography with ethnographic fieldwork. In order to capture the diversity and complexity of traditional hairstyles, snapshots of diverse hairstyles were taken at many locations like saloons, churches, festivals, markets, homes, roads etc. The findings reveal the great importance and symbolic meaning of hairstyles as a cultural practice that explains and buttresses social values, norms and beliefs. These hairstyles symbolize strength, health, unity, sexuality, togetherness, boldness and fertility. This study is a valid contribution to the existing body of knowledge on photography studies of traditional hairstyles as fashion trend. These compiled hairstyles will preserve facts and also serve as referral in posterity. Photography should be fully engaged in creating awareness, educating, promoting and preserving, the benefits in wearing traditional hairstyles that is age long.