photograph: Courtesy of Serena Williams/ @serenawilliams
all over her decades-spanning profession, Serena Williams has worn her hair in a variety of braided patterns, from mild micro-plaits wound right into a towering topknot to the hip-grazing ponytail forged in Senegalese twists that she wore to the royal marriage ceremony. but it surely all began with the matching halos of flying beaded braids that Williams and her sister Venus wore from their childhood through the starting of their careers.
An on-courtroom signature for the Williams sisters, the braids were woven by way of none other than their mother, Oracene cost. "Venus and that i had been not afraid to wear braids," explained the 23-time Grand Slam champion in an interview. "We weren't afraid to be black in tennis. And that was diverse." carrying on with the family way of life, Williams now braids her younger daughter Alexis Olympia's hair, nodding to the wealthy starting place of braiding while she's at it.
"Braiding started in Africa with the Himba people of Namibia," Williams wrote alongside a candid Instagram snap of her plaiting the one-12 months-historical's natural curls. "we've been braiding our hair for hundreds of years. in lots of African tribes braided hairstyles have been a different method to establish each tribe. as a result of the time it might take, people would often make the effort to socialize. It started with the elders braiding their babies, then the toddlers would watch and study from them. The lifestyle of bonding turned into carried on for generations, and promptly made its approach internationally."
And while there's nothing just like the mom-daughter connection, Williams and her husband, Alexis Ohanian, make a point of subverting antiquated gender roles by using sharing the responsibility of their daughter's hair care. closing month Ohanian, who has also spoken out in regards to the significance of paid paternity leave, shared that he's joined natural hair fb agencies to additional train himself on most reliable practices.
"i'm honored to share this bonding event with my very own daughter and add one more generation of ancient traditions," Williams concluded. Paying homage to her roots whereas questioning gender norms in her marriage, the tennis seasoned continues to redefine contemporary motherhood.
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