{"id":196679,"date":"2026-02-27T16:44:12","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T16:44:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/196679\/"},"modified":"2026-02-27T16:44:12","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T16:44:12","slug":"the-roots-of-african-braiding-in-bakersfield","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/196679\/","title":{"rendered":"The roots of African braiding in Bakersfield"},"content":{"rendered":"

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) \u2014 African braids remain a powerful staple within the Black community deeply rooted in tradition, identity and resilience. <\/p>\n

In honor of Black History Month, I took a closer look at the history and meaning behind the styles that continue to shape culture today.<\/p>\n

Inside Nikki Beauty Supply & Salon in the Ming Avenue Plaza Bakersfield , the art of braiding is more than a service it\u2019s a legacy. <\/p>\n

Owner Fausta Adekoba known as Nikki has been braiding for more than 30 years, but her journey began long before she ever opened a salon chair.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cI was in elementary school. Everybody in my house my siblings we all knew how to braid. We practiced on each other,\u201d Adekoba said.<\/p>\n

For her, braids are not just a style they are African heritage woven strand by strand. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

What began in her childhood home has grown into a career built on culture and craftsmanship.<\/p>\n

Today, she\u2019s styling client Latita Belle, who says braids have always been part of her story.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy aunties and my cousins used to braid my hair,\u201d Belle said.<\/p>\n

Since she was five or six years old, Belle says braids have been her form of self-expression.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

On this visit, she\u2019s getting crochet braids a modern technique with deep traditional roots.<\/p>\n

\u201cBraids make me feel good. It\u2019s the love and all the creative designs,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

But behind every intricate pattern lies history. <\/p>\n

Adekoba says braid styles once carried powerful meaning across African communities.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy great-great-grandmother taught me braid patterns were once used as maps to guide people on their journeys,\u201d Adekoba explained.<\/p>\n

From cultural identity to survival, braids have long told stories.
During slavery, rice was sometimes hidden in plaits as a means of survival.
Certain patterns signified tribe, age, marital status or social standing.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we\u2019re getting married, your braid style shows your tribe. We have a style called shuku,\u201d Adekoba said.<\/p>\n

Beneath the braids, the thick coils and curls they protect are often referred to as the crown a symbol of pride and power within the Black community. <\/p>\n

Protective styles not only preserve hair health, but also safeguard heritage.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

For Belle, the meaning is clear.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour hair is a signal of strength and power and identity,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

As every strand tells a historic story, braids remain more than a fashion statement. <\/p>\n

They are a reminder to honor your roots and care for your crown.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

For more information on Nikki Beauty Suppl and Salon you can click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Stay in Touch with Us Anytime, Anywhere:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) \u2014 African braids remain a powerful staple within the Black community deeply rooted in tradition,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":196680,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[151,155,153,152,162],"class_list":["post-196679","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-bakersfield","tag-bakersfield","tag-bakersfield-downtown","tag-bakersfield-headlines","tag-bakersfield-news","tag-kern-county-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/196679","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=196679"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/196679\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/196680"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=196679"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=196679"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=196679"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}