“Why do some of our stylish women prefere bleached hair or wigs to genuine African creations? One’s real hair, in my opinion, is worth more than faked hair, and an art evolved over time is always better than imported styles of others. I meet many of you who pretend to be European, trying to dress and act like white women.

Oh, my Black Sisters, why are you trying to forget that you are African? Great poets have sung the glory of your bodies and I, a humble photographer, have caught a few of your marvelous braids and tresses.

The times change, but your natural beauty endures.” Afterwords from the book.

Unfortunately, not much is known about the photographer Diby Yao Christophe, but his photo book, Du twist à cocody, ou l'art de la natte, is an amazing document of hairstyles from the Ivory Coast of the 1970s.

This very scarce book was made between April 1970 and June 1972, in collaboration with the Institut d'Ethno-Sociologie in Abidjan.

Good to know :

• Photographs by Diby Yao Christophe

• Published in January 1972 by Editions Dalfoz - First and only edition

• 60 pages -Texts in English & French

• In an overall good condition, there are some marks and stains. The cover is a bit detached.