Braids are making a comeback, and this time they’re more tribal than ever! With so many different styles to choose from, it can be hard to decide which one is right for you.
But don’t worry, we’re here to help. In this article, we’ll show you some of the coolest tribal braids out there. So whether you’re looking for something sleek and modern or something more traditional, we’ve got you covered. Keep reading for inspiration!
Table of Contents
Origin of Tribal Braids
“Braiding began in Africa with the Himba people of Namibia,” said Alysa Speed of Bomane Salon. “They’ve been braiding their hair for decades”. However, in many African cultures, woven hairstyles were a unique way to distinguish each tribe.
What kind of hair are best for tribal braids?
Tribal braids are best for both thin hair and thick hair. For thick hair, the tribal twist Updo is a common choice for women with long hair. Moreover, the tribal braids can be done on any hair, no matter short or long.
How to sleep with braids?
When you are about to sleep, make sure to cover your head around and tie a scarf around the ends. It will separate the top of your head from everything. So that when you are in the resting mode of sleeping, you can protect your hair from getting tangled up and frizziness.
Do tribal braids damage your hair?
Braids will help you to keep your hair out of your face without a lot of strain, whether it’s a tribal, French, boxer, or single tail. To avoid hairline breakage, make sure you’re not pulling your hair too tightly when you put them in a knot.
Difference between Tribal Braids and Regular Braids
Tribal braids
Tribal Braids describe braiding styles that have their origins in African cultures. They also add various kinds of braids and decorative accessories, mostly rings, beads, and shells. Some of the most common tribal braid types are Fulani braids, Ghana braids, and boxing braids.
Regular braids
It’s the braids’ baseline. Alternately, taking three sections of hair, passing each area over a middle strand on either side, think of it as a juggling coat.
Best Styles For Tribal Braids
Fulani Braids
Fulani Braids are braided with beads, but the braid designs used are influenced by the Fulani people – a mainly Muslim, traditional pastoral ethnic group in Africa spread across West Africa and parts of East Africa
What do Fulani braids symbolize?
These braids can symbolize a variety of things, including a woman’s origins, social status, wealth, religion, or marital status. Fulani women often decorate their hair with beads, hair accessories, and cowrie shells.
They are characterized by their long hair, which is often braided into four or five separate braids.
Kim Kardashian Hairstyle
Kim Kardashian is a whole fan of Fulani braids. She slays the hairstyle and knows how to carry it. Many people follow her because of her aesthetic hairstyle. She kills the look.
Ghana Braids
Ghana braids, also widely referred to as cornrows, straight-backs, or banana braids, are classic defensive styles for natural hair and curly hair.
Origin of Ghana braids
Ghana braids may trace their origins back to Africa and have been an essential part of many different ethnic, religious, social, and cultural practices over the centuries. The early representations of Ghana braids appear in hieroglyphs and sculptures carved around 500 BC.
Yvonne Nelson
She is a Ghanaian actress with Ghanaian hair. She is into the look and knows how to carry her beautiful hair. Many people know her by her signature look of Ghana braids.
Short Tribal Braids
Tribal braids can be made on any length of hair, from short to long. If you’ve got shorter hair and you’d like to go without extensions, then go for a chin or mid-length tribal style.
The critical point to the tribal look is creating unique and natural-looking braids, so don’t worry about getting them all the same length which can be difficult on shorter hair. Try a middle or side-shaped Senegalese twisted braid pattern and add rings and beads for a subtle tribal look.
Tribal Braids Ponytail
A ponytail would be a way better option to give your tribal braids a sleek and chic twist for a particular function. Collect your braided hair to the top of your head to create the ponytail.
Avoid pulling your braids too close, as this can cause strain on your scalp, which may lead to your hair breakage. Then take two or three of the braided strands and wrap them around the ponytail base, looping them around to keep the other braids in place. Voila – you have a beautiful ponytail that doesn’t require any elastic.
Tribal Braided Bun
The braided bun is a traditional hairstyle that looks much better with a tribal twist. It’s the perfect, stylish, beautiful, elegant, and sophisticated look for a special event, such as a bachelor party or a wedding party.
You can also ask for braids of various sizes, patterns, and thicknesses, then apply the gold wire for the standard golden touch.
Feed-in Braids
Feed-in braids use a process that gives the appearance of natural, complete braids by feeding in synthetic hair so that your natural hair starts beyond your hairline. With traditional cornrows, your stylist will start each tie with a knot to blend your hair with synthetic hair.
Box Braids
Box braids are an effective hair-braiding style that is primarily familiar to black people (people of African descent).
This form of hairstyle is best explained in terms of a “protective style” (a manner that they can wear for a long time to allow the hair to grow and take care of the ends of the hair) and is “boxy,” consisting of square-shaped hair divisions.
Box braids are usually installed using synthetic hair or artificial hair that helps to add thickness and support to the natural hair in a braid.
Since they’re not stuck to the scalp like other similar styles, such as cornrows, they can fashion box braids in a variety of different ways. The box braids take a long time to be done but once they are done they can last for 6–8 weeks.
Classic 3-Strand Braid
Classic 3-strand braid is one of the most common braiding techniques out there. If you are just starting out, this is the technique you want to go for.
It is also said that a three-strand braid is a foundation for all other types of braids. This means that if you can get this right, you will be able to understand other braiding techniques.
So consider spending time on this one if you are really interested in braids. Plus, it’s an easy technique and has two steps only. However, if you are just starting out, then consider braiding someone else’s hair first. That way, you will understand the pattern, and then you’ll be able to do it on yours too.
French Braid
French Braid is also called French plait. In this technique, you take three strands and make three sections. All of these sections are then braided together from the head to the nape of your neck.
Now, there is some controversy that revolves around this braiding style as well. Some say that its origins are African, while others credit this technique to Greeks. Either way, the bottom line is that it’s an amazing hairstyle, and we believe that is what matters, seeing as its origins seem blurry.
However, if you are a beginner, then you might find it a little hard to tie up a French braid. But if you have practiced a lot and this is a new style that you are trying, we would give you the same recommendation we gave in the three-stranded braid.
Try French Braid on someone else’s hair so that you get to understand the pattern. Once you understand it well, then you can stand in front of the mirror and tie it like a pro!
Dutch Braid
“Some will say it’s the same as French Braid.”
Dutch Braids seem very similar to French Braids. However, since the names of both techniques are different. Hence, we will assume that these are two different techniques.
Dutch Braids have a little tweak, and it is that you are going to cross the side sections of your hair beneath the middle strand – and you’ll do it every time you opposed to over it.
When you are done tying the Dutch braid, you are able to see the difference for yourself.
Fishtail Braid
Fishtail Braid is more commonly confused with the fishbone braid, which we’ll get to in a second. As the name suggests, Fishtail Braid creates a fishtail image when the strands are put together appropriately.
However, when it comes to Fishbone braids, it’s not the same as a fishtail. That’s because one major braid runs from top to the nape, whereas other braids are plaited more closely to the center strand, creating a fishbone image.
Mermaid Braid
Mermaid Braid is yet another French braiding technique. But, if you want to do it, then you must learn how to tie a French braid first. Once you learn that, then tying up a Mermaid Braid is not a problem.
You have to use thinner strands of hair and create the braid while the unbraided hair is apparent through the spaces. If you practice it enough, it will take approximately 5 to 6 minutes to tie up a mermaid braid!
Waterfall Braid
You can call it a variant of the French braid. It is a half-French Braid where a part of the hair is braided whereas the rest is left as it is. It creates a cascading effect and thereby creates a waterfall image.
Rope Braids
Rope Braids are one of the most common types of braid out there. Twist two strands of hair, that’s all. There’s no doubt about the fact that Rope Braid’s simplicity contributes to its popularity.
Twisting two hair strands together creates a rope image and gives off a very beautiful look. So if you are looking to try out a new style this time, make sure it’s the rope braids!
Lace Braid
Lace Braids are one-sided French braids. So if you are starting out on Lace Braids and don’t know how to tie a french braid yet, then you might find it hard to tie up a lace braid.
However, it’s less work. When you are tying up a lace braid, you’ll be adding sections only to one side of the braid.
Ladder Braid
Ladder Braid is an interesting combination of two braid styles. When both are combined, they create a ladder-type image, and that is what we know as a ladder braid.
Ladder Braid is a combination of French Braid and Waterfall Braid. But the idea is to keep both the braids at some distance so as to create a space in between that gives that hairstyle a finishing look!
Lattice Braid
Lattice Braid is one of the most recent hairstyles that was introduced somewhere around 2016. It looks beautiful and might also look too complex at first. But if you practice a little bit, it’ll feel easy.
Single Braids
Single Braids are perhaps one of the most simple and easy styles. It especially helps if you are a beginner or not too much into braiding. It gives you a very simple look in literally no time (compared to other braiding styles).
Multiple Braids
Multiple braiding style is about dividing your hair into multiple strands and tying them up in various ways, including French Braid, Mermaid Braid, Fishtail Braid, Fishbone Braid, and many other styles.
Partial Braids
Partial braid styles are one of the easiest ways to tie up a braid. The best part about it is that you get to tie up half braids and therefore save your time but look beautiful at the same time.
One of the best examples of partial braids is a waterfall braid, the one we have discussed above. Of course, you can try many more styles regarded as partial braids. Check out the following partial braid styles: Easy Boho Hairstyle, Double Dutch Braid, French Braid Tie Back, and more.
Chunky Messy Braided Pony
A chunky Messy braided pony is one of the perfect hairstyles for long and medium hair. This style can also be considered a half-braided hairstyle where you braid up some of your hair, whereas the below remains untied.
Milkmaid Braid
Milkmaid braid is among the cute hairstyles and also one of the simplest. All you need to do is tie up two braids and wrap them around the top of your head. And the best thing about this hairstyle is that it makes you look like a pro of braiding because it appears very complicated. However, the case is totally opposite; it is very easy to tie a milkmaid braid.
Conclusion
Tribal braids have been around for centuries, and they show no sign of going out of style. Whether you’re looking to try something new or just want to keep your hair looking great for a special event, tribal braids are a perfect option. We hope this guide has helped give you a better understanding of how to create tribal braids and shown you that they can be a fun, easy way to change up your look. Have you tried tribal braids before? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below!
