Documenting And Comparing A Variety Of Hairstyles Worn By Zulu School Girls & Young Women With hairstyles Worn By African American School Girls & Young Women

Embo Films, November 21, 2024

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Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest revision- March 2, 2025

This post is part of an ongoing pancocojams series on Black female hairstyles throughout the world.

This post showcases five YouTube videos of Zulu girls performing Ukusina (a traditional dance that features kicking your leg high.) . These videos show various hairstyles that are currently worn by those girls.  

For comparison's purposes, this post showcases two videos of that show hairstyles that are currently worn by African American school age girls.

In addition, this video presents my lists of some terms for African American females' hairstyles, with a particular focus on the hairstyles that I observed in these showcases African American videos and in these showcased Zulu girls' videos.  

The content of this post is presented for historical, socio-cultural purposes, and educational purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to the producers of these videos. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
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This post focuses on female Ukusina dancers' hairstyles and not male Ukusina dancers who hair is usually either very closely shaved or in very short fros.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/02/videos-examples-of-black-high-school.html for the closely related pancocojams post "Some Hair Styles Worn By Black Girls In Africa And In The African Diaspora, Part I. his is Part I of a five part pancocojams series that showcases several YouTube videos of Black high school students from various African nations and various nations from the African Diaspora.

In alphabetical order, the nine countries that are featured in this post are Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, South Sudan, Uganda, the United States, and Zambia.

The links for the other posts in that pancocojams series are given in each post. 

For information on Ukusina, click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2023/07/is-south-african-ukusina-high-kicks.html for the 2023pancocojams post entitled "Are South African Ukusina (High Kicks) Dances Becoming Westernized?

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DISCLAIMER This post isn't meant to be a definitive documentation or review of female hairstyles that are currently worn by African American girls or by Zulu (South African) girls performing Ukusina.
I'm an African American woman who has never had any experience as a hair stylist.. With regard to the videos about South African Ukusina, I've only recently learned about Zulu (South African) Ukusina from watching a number of online videos and from reading a lot of the comments in those videos’ discussion threads that are in English. Unfortunately, I only speak and read English, and I have never visited South Africa or any other African nation. I also read some selected comments in those discussion threads that are translated from Zulu to English.

Additions and corrections are welcome.

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A LIST OF AND NOTES ABOUT GIRLS HAIR STYLES THAT I THINK ARE SHOWN IN THESE VIDEOS OF ZULU FEMALES PERFORMING UKUSINA  
I'm using African Americans terms for these hairstyles. These terms may not be used among Zulus and/or other South Africans. Additions and corrections are welcome.

These hairstyles are listed in alphabetical order and aren't given in any order of their frequency in these videos. 

afro puffs
tightly curled (tightly coiled) hair that is styled into one ponytail on the top of a girls' head or two pony tails (one on each side of a girls' hair) 

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braids
This term usually refers to what African Americans used to call "braid extensions" (usually fake hair that is braided onto a female's own (natural) hair; "Braids" can be any length. The custom in the United States (as of 2025) is that African American girls school prefer at least shoulder length braids (which are then can be worn in various hairstyles such as "wearing them out" or wearing them in one ponytail in the back, or wearing the braids tucked in a bun on top of their head, or a combination of those styles.

It appears to me that currently African American girls younger than eight years old might wear small plastic beads of usually one or two color. However, after age eight, African American girls don't wear beads in their hair. I didn't notice any Zulu girls in these videos or in any other Ukusina videos wearing beads in the hair  .     

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bun
A bun is when all or part of a person's hair is gathered together hair, pulled back, and twisted into a round shape on top of or at the back of the head. Buns are usually held together by rubber bands.

I noticed some girls in  these Ukusina videos with their hair in a bun.

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closely shaved hair
I noticed a number of girls in most of these videos (except for video #4 and #5) with hair that was closely shaved to the scalp. That hairstyle is rarely worn by African American females of any age.

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closely braided hair 
I noticed a number of girls in Video #1, #2, and #3, with their hair braided close to their scalp either their entire hair or only in the front of their head. African American girls may wear their hair braided in the front and the rest of their hair styled some other way (such.as braid extensions worn out or worn in a ponytail). However, I think that African American females, particularly, after age five years, rarely wear their entire hair closely braided, including in cornrows, in public.  

cornrows
cornrows may be the same hairstyle as what I'm calling "closely braided hair". I believe that cornrows are when the rows of closely braided hair is somewhat raised and not as flat on the scalp as the other closely braided hair (whatever that style is called.)  

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dyed hair 
I noticed a few girls in most of these showcased videos (except for Video #4) with red or brown dyed hair.   

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'fro
The word 'fro is a form of the word "afro") .There are multiple hairstyles in which tightly curled (tightly coiled) hair can be worn in different ways without any chemicals or other treatments used to straighten that hair. The word "natural" (a natural) that is given immediately after this entry used to be a synonym for 'fro.

A 'fro (also given as (an afro; plural 'fros /afros can be worn in various lengths and without or with texturizing (to add curl definition i.e. to make the hair curlier.

The most common size of 'fros that I've noticed in Ukusina videos for females and for males (in 2024/2025 ) are 'fros that are either very short or somewhat short afros that are un-texturized.

This is in stark contrast to how Black women and Black men wear our hair in afros in the United States in the 2000s since at least 2015 (to arbitrarily pick at date). 'Fros in United States are much bigger (wider), texturized (to emphasize the curl), or loosely styled (i.e. often not styled at all. This is far different from the round shaped "bush" (which was a term that I recall being used for afros in the 1960s. Think about the afro that was worn by activist Angela Davis). 

I noticed a girl in the Ukusina showcase video #5 with what I would call a "medium sized 'fro that is dyed brown. That style appears to me to be not commonly worn in these Ukusina female dancers videos, but somewhat common in among Black females in the USA now (in 2025). 

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natural (hair styles) 
The general African American meaning for "naturals" (in reference to hair) means a person's hair is  that is largely left in its natural state/texture i.e. not straightened with chemicals or with a heated comb or by any other means. However, the hair is still washed, conditioned, treated with oils, combed, styled etc.

The term "a natural" used to be used among Black Americans to refer to an afro ('fro), but I don't think that word is used by us that way any more.
 
Almost all of the Zulu girls' hairstyles in these Ukusina videos would be considered natural hairstyles in the United States.

I haven't noticed any women in these showcased Ukusina videos or in the other Ukusina videos that I've watched wearing their hair in twists which is a very common natural hairstyle for Black women in the United States. "Twists" is a style that is created when the natural (often texturized) hair is braided in a style that can be and is usually worn out in public for a period of time (for instance, for three days). After those days, the hair is unbraided and worn "as is" (without combing or brushing). The hair can be styled but may be left un-styled i.e. leaving the hair "as is" is the style.

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perms 
The noun "perm" and the verb "permed" (both abbreviations of the word "permanent") is commonly used by African Americans tor refer to hair that is straightened by chemicals or a heated comb or by some other means to loosen that hair's naturally tight curls/coils. The hair is then worn in any number of styles, including worn "out" (loose, down, not in a ponytail.

"Perms" may be mistaken for naturally straight hair, naturally curly hair, or wigs. I've noticed some females in some of these Ukusina videos with hair that might be permed, but that might be those females' natural hair textue/s (Black people and perhaps other people can and usually do have more than one natural hair texture.).

Many (straight hair or curly hair) wigs may also be mistaken for perms or for naturally straight or curly hair. I haven't noticed any wigs being worn by Ukusina dancers. In contrast, wigs 9especially "lace front" wigs are worn by a number of Black female (high school) teenagers and Black woman in the United States. 

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ponytails
A "ponytail" is a hairstyle where some or all of a person's hair is gathered together and kept in place (usually) by a rubber band. The most common ponytail hairstyles for females are one ponytail in the back (at the neck) or one ponytail on each side of one's head (usually worn up but sometimes worn down).

If the hair is long enough, any texture of hair can be worn in a ponytail. "Afro puffs" (read the description above) are a ponytail hairstyle.

I've noticed Zulu females in these Ukusina videos wearing their hair in different ponytail styles.

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Weave
A :weave" is real or fake hair that is braided, sewn, or otherwise attached to a person's hair. For Black females, the natural hair is usually straightened (permed) and the weave is a straightened or curly texture. The hair is then styled. 

I believe that I saw some examples of weaves in most of these showcase videos of Ukusina performances, but what might be a weave could also be the females' natural hair texture.    

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ADDITIONAL SHOWCASE VIDEOS OF ZULU (SOUTH AFRICAN) GIRLS HAIRSTYLES

These showcase videos were relatively randomly selected and are presented in no particular order.

SHOWCASE VIDEO #2 - #4 Oqondanisa | Ingoma yezintombi | eMidrand eGoli | 1,1 

Nhlaka Mdlalose, Feb 24, 2025

Oqondanisa is a revered group of young Zulu maidens who uphold the sacred traditions of purity, discipline, and cultural pride. Rooted in the rich heritage of the Zulu people, these girls participate in ceremonies that celebrate womanhood, respect, and moral integrity. Adorned in vibrant traditional attire, they embody the values of dignity and honor, serving as living symbols of the community’s commitment to preserving its ancestral customs. Through dance, song, and ritual, Oqondanisa stands as a testament to the strength and grace of Zulu femininity, bridging the past with the present in a powerful display of cultural resilience.
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Update- March 2, 2025, another video of Oqondanisa is added as a bonus video to further document the variety of hairstyles that these females have.

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #3 - QHAWEKAZI TEAM BLUE OBUKA | ISIBAYA SAMADODA | EMKHANDLWINI | OBUKA

Embo Films, Embo Films, April 1, 2024

#ingoma #zuludance #zulu

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #4- Team Pink | Mehlo | Naba sebayabaleka | Lapha e Newcastle Ingoma yasemajuba camp & workshop



Embo Films, Nov 19, 2024  NEWCASTLE
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Some girls in this video may be wearing braids (extensions) as in the style of a long ponytail in the back, but other long ponytail hairstyles in this videos may be some of these girls' natural hair textures and hair length.

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #5 - #intombi ❤️❤️

Confidence Buthelezi ♥️☯️, Mar 4, 2023

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BONUS VIDEO -#5 Oqondanisa | Ingoma yezintombi | eMidrand eGoli

Nhlaka Mdlalose, Feb 28, 2025

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TWO SHOWCASE VIDEOS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN SCHOOL AGE GIRLS HAIRSTYLES
These videos showcases African American middle school & high school (11-18 year old) female who are members of Stomp & Shake cheerleading teams.  These videos were randomly selected and are presented in no particular order.

Dilworth School - Black History

 

Urban Music, Jun 8, 2023

Music Video made and produced by the students and teachers of Dilworth School in Pittsburgh PA.

Dilworth is currently a performing art focused Pittsburgh public magnet school i.e. (students from any Pittsburgh neighborhood may attend Pittsburgh Board Of Education magnet schools. The racial makeup of that Pittsburgh public school is African American. 56.5% · White. 28.3% · Multiracial. 9.4% · Hispanic. 3.8% · Native American. 1.1% · Asian. 0.9% · International. 0% · Pacific Island 0%.https://www.niche.com/k12/pittsburgh-dilworth-k-5-pittsburgh-pa/students/
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Notice the wide variety of natural hairstyles for African American girls (and to a lesser extent for boys) in this video. A few of the African American girls have perms or that may be the natural texture of their hair. 

One of the girls who is featured in this video's snapshot has red colored hair woven into her braids (braid extensions). It appears to me that in 2015 that the custom of wearing isn't being done as much any more at that school (where my granddaughter graduated from* and where my daughter still teaches (and consequently I'm very familiar with that school). 

* My daughter is the woman with locs who is shown doing sign language at 4:44 in that video. My granddaughter is the girl with the big hair bun that is shown doing American sign language at 1:26 in that video. 
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Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/02/african-american-elementary-school-age.html for a 2023 video that showcases five YouTube videos of African American school age girls (from 2013-2023)

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SHOWCASE VIDEO # 2
🏀💜🤍 HALFTIME CHEER DANCE 📣 #cheer #cheerleading #highschoolbasketball #shorts


@SaginawDanceShow, Jan 31, 2025 -snip-

This video showcases an African American high school Stomp & Shake cheerleader team performing during half time at a competitive basketball game. (city/state unknown).

Notice that most of the girls wear their hair loose ("out") in braids (micro braids or other (probably fake hair) braid extensions without any beads or other adornments in their hair. Not wearing any beads in the hair is quite different from the custom of much younger Black girls (probably up to age eight or so) adorning the hair with beads or barrettes.

Also, notice the length of the hair that almost all of these Black cheerleaders had. Many African American females highly value long hair. The last cheerleader in this video is the only one who didn't have hair at least to her shoulders. Her hair was closely braided to her scalp.

The first cheerleader may have dyed her hair brown or that may be the natural color of her hair. Also, that first cheerleader may have permed her hair to achieve that curly texture or that may be the texture of her natural hair.  

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