Culture region, Rwanda
Nyanza, Rwanda
The old royal capital of Rwanda, where the King's Palace Museum recalls amasunzu, the crescent hair crests of men and young women.
Nyanza, in southern Rwanda, was the seat of the Rwandan kings, and its King's Palace Museum rebuilds the royal compound. It is a good place to learn about amasunzu, the striking hairstyle of Rwandan men and unmarried women in which the hair is shaped into crests, often described as crescents, separated by shaved lines. Old photographs show the style worn at court and in the countryside.
Amasunzu
Amasunzu were made by growing the hair and then cutting and shaping it into raised ridges, curved like crescents or set in rows, with the scalp shaved between them. For men, the style signalled standing and bravery, and a man without amasunzu could be viewed with suspicion. Women wore it after the age of about 18 to 20 until they married, showing that they were of marriageable age. Each pattern was shaped by hand, and it could take hours.
Fading and revival
Amasunzu faded in the 20th century, as colonial rule, missionary schools and changing fashions brought short haircuts. Today it is seen mostly at cultural festivals, in traditional dance troupes and in photographs. Some young Rwandan and diaspora barbers and artists have revived it, and it has appeared in fashion shoots, often with an explanation of its meaning.