Meet Rachaelle

My name is Rachaelle and I love waistbeads! I fell in love with waistbeads when I visited Ghana in March of 2019. It was my first international solo trip. I chose Ghana because I wanted to feel more connected to my roots and learn more about the origin of where my ancestors are from. I can not say that Ghana is the exact country in Africa that my Haitian ancestors were taken from, however from what I have read most of the people that were put into slavery in Haiti and other neighboring islands were likely enslaved from west Africa. 

While in Africa I met people that were caring and genuinely opened their homes to me; they shared their rich heritage, delicious food, colorful and vibrant culture. My travel guide Enyo from Enyo Bruku Travels took me to Makola market; there were a variety of beads made from material ranging between glass and wood. The colors of the beads were bright and beautiful; as I spoke with the merchants about the various styles and patterns I learned that the colors have different meanings and beads are used in rituals, religion, and ceremonies. African women have traditionally worn these beads as a symbol of femininity and prosperity for centuries.
After choosing the colors I was most attracted to, the merchant explained the meaning behind the colors I chose; I was happily surprised that the colors I chose corresponded with what I needed and was experiencing within my life at the time. As the days went by I would stop as I usually do to look at my waist in the mirror However my thoughts were different. Before I would focus on what I needed to change, how much weight I wanted to lose. 

Waistbeads changed the way I looked at my waist. The beautiful colors of the beads popped against my complexion, and the feeling of my waistbeads made me feel powerful, strong, and sexier. I felt as if I had the strength and power of my maternal ancestors wrapped around me. My waist beads also brought my attention to the curves of my hips; I felt sexier then I had before. I loved knowing I had them on and no one else knew, then there were times that I loved the way it would attract an admirer’s attention. I love waistbeads; I wanted other women to feel what I felt.