When I first decided to conduct a survey to find out what men really think about waist beads, I wasn’t prepared for the responses I got. Two hundred and forty-three men. Yes, 243 took part, and let’s just say it was an eye-opener. Somewhere between laughter, shock, and the occasional raised eyebrow, I realized waist beads aren’t just beads. They are emotion, nostalgia, attraction, and sometimes, pure chaos wrapped around a woman’s waist.
The first thing that stood out was how familiar these men already were with waist beads. A solid 97% of them said they had encountered them growing up. Usually on their mothers, sisters, or female friends. One man even admitted that his first “waist bead sighting” happened during a childhood game called Yɛdi Apepaho. (If you know, you know.) It was one of those mischievous games we played as kids where someone always found a way to flash their new underwear. I remember taking part in it myself, innocent fun at the time, but little did we know we were part of a cultural initiation of sorts!
Then came the second revelation: 95% of the men said waist beads had a distinct visual appeal that activated their senses in very specific ways. For some, it was the sight. They confessed that waist beads were “visually seductive.” Others mentioned the sound, that subtle rattle when a woman moves as something that heightens their intimacy. And then there was my absolute favorite: a handful of men claimed waist beads help delay orgasm. Yes, you read that right. I was as pleasantly shocked as you are now. According to them, something about the texture, the movement, and the psychological stimulation actually helps them “pace themselves.” One man even swore by it like it was a sacred science. Who knew beads could have such multi-layered effects?
And just when I thought I’d heard it all, another man confessed that he once refused to spend an entire weekend with his partner because she didn’t have her waist beads on. In his words, “There can’t be proper intimacy when she’s not in them. Waist beads are medicine to the akoma (heart).” I had to laugh but deep down, I understood what he meant. There’s something about those strands that awaken not just desire, but connection. They carry memory and emotion.A reminder of rhythm, beauty, and belonging.
About 80% of the men also shared their belief that waist beads help shape the female body into an hourglass figure. Now, how scientifically true that is, I’ll be exploring in another blog (because I’m curious too!). But I found their perception fascinating that something as delicate as glass beads could hold such power in defining beauty standards. Meanwhile, 40% mentioned how waist beads are used to track a baby’s growth.A cultural practice I found heartwarming. It shows that these adornments go beyond sensuality; they are part of our history, a quiet way of measuring change, growth, and life itself.
This survey opened my eyes to how waist beads live not just on the bodies of women, but in the memories of men. Many men described their early exposure with nostalgia. The sound of beads rustling when their mothers moved around the house, the glimpse of color during a festival, the intimate moment when a wife or partner tied a new strand. Whether through memory or romance, men perceive waist beads as more than ornamentation. They see them as cultural symbols, emotional triggers, and, in many cases, silent storytellers of love.
What fascinated me most was how consistent the respect and fascination were. Whether a man found them sensual or spiritual, playful or powerful, waist beads carried meaning. They weren’t just accessories; they were experiences. And through this survey, I discovered something important: waist beads are not only for women to celebrate their beauty.They also remind men to admire, respect, and participate in that celebration.
So, what do men really think about waist beads? Everything. They think about how they look, how they sound, how they make them feel and sometimes, how they can’t function without them! But most importantly, they think about what they represent: confidence, womanhood, tradition, and love.
Happy Beading.
Vera (Artist, Photographer & Bead Instructor at TALTOHMA)
References
Anigbo, M. (2021). The cultural symbolism of waist beads in West Africa. Journal of African Aesthetics, 15(3), 44–56. Available at: https://journals.openedition.org/africa/waistbeads
Boateng, A. (2019). Adornment and Identity: The Power of Waist Beads in Ghanaian Womanhood. African Studies Review, 62(2), 135–148. Available at: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/african-studies-reviewOkeke, N. (2022). Body, Culture and Sensuality: Understanding African Feminine Aesthetics. Journal of Gender and Culture, 28(1), 22–39. Available at: https://genderandculturejournal.org/okeke-2022