Traditional Hairstyles of Rwanda

Learn about unique traditional hairstyles steeped in Rwandan history and culture.

Amasunzu - HaircutOriginal Source: Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy

Introduction

Rwandans have a special relationship with caring for their hair. The techniques and various shapes of haircuts attest the distinctiveness of Rwandan culture. 

There is a range of hairstyles worn by men and children and even, for girls and women to signify their marital status.

Ibisage hairstyle (1)Original Source: Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy

Ibisage

From an early age, children wore ibisage, a kind of tuft made of small locks abundantly coated with rancid butter. This style was often trimmed with pearls, cowries, with small rings, and other types of pendants.

Fashion - Amasunzu by ImvahoRwanda Cultural Heritage Academy

The tufts - Amasunzu

The double crescent shaped haircut, amasunzu, commonly worn by men and girls of any social category, it has more than 30 different styles. The shapes of the amasunzu tufts were common to Rwanda. In certain areas like the North and North–East of Rwanda the styles were specific.

Chief Godefroid Kimonyo, Unknown, From the collection of: Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy
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Haircut - Amasunzu, Original Source: Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy
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On the left we have Chief Kimonyo who ruled the eastern part of Rwanda in Nkamba and Ramira (Kayonza district). On the right there is Chief Rwubusisi of Buliza (Rulindo district now) and Buganza bw'epfo (Rwamagana district now) in the Eastern province.

Haircut - Uruhanika (2)Original Source: Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy

Uruhanika

Immediately after getting married, it was a tradition for the bride to shave her amasunzu. Women were required to shave regularly, and closely. Since the 1950s, women from wealthy circles styled their hair by combing, giving it an elongated shape, uruhanika

Braided hair by Rwanda MuseumsRwanda Cultural Heritage Academy

Hair style in the 1970s

Since the 1960s, the amasunzu style gradually lost ground to foreign styles. In 1990s Women adopted braiding and uncurling. As for men, they went through several styles, often imitating international models. The young generation mainly artists are reviving the Amasunzu hairstyle

Credits: Story

Content development: Andre Ntagwabira, Jerome Karangwa, Yvette Tuyishime & Chantal Umuhoza (Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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