Whether you use serums, oil or gels, for most of us, lovely locks are an
everyday essential. But for the Afar tribe who live along Ethiopia’s
northeastern border with Djibouti and Eritrea, the pursuit of a gorgeous
‘do involves one very unusual ingredient.
Their distinctive
‘asdago’ afro hairstyle is created using butter, which lends their locks
a slightly ashy appearance as well as protecting it from the sun and
keeping it perfectly supple.
And
it’s not just asdago hairdos that benefit from a spot of butter:
another look, the ‘dayta’, also relies on dairy as a means of keeping
the elaborate curls, created using a stick, in place.
‘They apply
the butter to keep the curls in place,’ explains photographer Eric
Lafforgue. ‘They look a little bit like Victorian ladies, or, if you
prefer, Rastas. The curls are full of cow fat and butter.’
‘They
put so much that it streams down the back and looks a lot like blood.’
To keep the look tidy, regular haircuts are also on offer, although as
Lafforgue explains, they aren’t of the type found in a high street
salon.
‘They take a stone and a knife to cut them with,’ he explains. ‘A few minutes and it is done!’
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