Serena Williams and her daughter Olympia continue to prove they’re the cutest mother-daughter-duo around. This time it’s through some quality bonding while braiding hair.
On Thursday, June 13, the tennis champion shared a sweet Instagram snap of her braiding the 1-year-old’s hair. While the mom concentrates on the plaits the little girl is seen grinning from ear-to-ear. As adorable as the entire scene is there’s a lot more to this touching moment than meets the eye.
In the accompanying Instagram caption, the 37-year-old pointed out the cultural significance and tradition behind creating this types of hairstyle.
“Braiding started in Africa with the Himba people of Namibia,” she wrote. “We have been braiding our hair for centuries. In many African tribes braided hairstyles were a unique way to identify each tribe.”
She went on to explain that since the process would take so long, braiding became a social activity for many. The time they spent plaiting hair they would also be spend socializing.
“It began with the elders braiding their children, then the children would watch and learn from them. The tradition of bonding was carried on for generations, and quickly made its way across the world,” she wrote. “I am honored to share this bonding experience with my own daughter and add another generation of historic traditions.”
This isn’t the first time the family has taken to social media to share their dedication to teaching Olympia about her hair. Back in May, Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian revealed that he applied for a natural hair Facebook group. “I hope they don’t auto-reject my application when they see my profile photo,” he joked in a Tweet on May 16. “I told them it was to keep getting better at doing my daughter’s hair.”
Looks like the whole family will get to spend bonding time braiding hair.
