Beyond Beauty: African hair as culture and fashion statement   Story by Susan Mbamah  African hairstyles are deeply tied to tribal identity, social status, spirituality, and tradition. Long before colonialism, styles like cornrows, bantu knots, and dreadlocks carried powerful meanings that cannot be overlooked. To diminish these styles is to erase centuries of African heritage. African women have used their hair to communicate identity, tribe, status, age, and mood. In many African societies, hair was and still is a vital part of ceremonies, from birth and initiation to marriage and mourning. African female...