HIFA OPENING SHOW

The opening Show for the Harare International Festival of Arts was epic to say the least and this was evident by the massive turnout at the show.

Mokoomba group showed a lively energy and had the audience hyped and feeling the music. You could not help but dance and join in on the fun.

The  dance group’s  danced the night away and left the crowd in awe with their unique moves.

Accordionist Magda played some beautiful sounds that had everyone singing along. 

The show closed with breathtaking fireworks that left the crowd anticipating for more.

There is a lot more to come in the next few days of ART that ARTICULATES  and this opening show defiantly set the tone for a successful festival!

HIFA (Harare International Arts Festival) Starts Today!!

Art That Articulates

Harare international festival of ARTS is a 6 day annual festival held in Harare Zimbabwe. The festival founded by Manuel Bagorro, is recognized as one of the biggest in AFRICA! There is always a big hype about the festival not just in Harare but the world over, uniting cultures and races through ART. This year the festival is running under the theme ARTICULATE, with an array of international, local and regional performances giving a voice of expression through art. It’s a mixture of dance, music, theatre, fashion, visual art and much more.

The festival starts today with other acts showcasing throughout the day. YOU CAN ACCESS THEIR PROGRAMME  HERE or visit their website.

The biggest and most anticipated has to be the opening show that is on later tonight.

The opening show has the talented Zimbabwean based afro-fusion group Mokoomba as the main act. Mokoomba is a Victoria Falls (city in Zimbabwe) based group that has made a lasting impression not just locally but internationally as well. Their energetic performance is sure to wow the stage tonight.  Mukoomba will be joined by other acts that include, New York City vocalist and accordionist Magda, opera star Erich Oskar Huetta, Tumbuka, AfriKera Dance Ensemble, National ballet, Tap dancer Jessie Sawyers, cast of Tangram, and many other artists that I can’t wait to see.

263isme will be there at the opening show and other HIFA shows, can't wait to share it all with you :).

I have to confess I was one of those ladies that despised box braids. I thought that they would be too heavy or too big a hairstyle for a tiny girl like me. As usual I found every excuse to stop myself from trying something new. But, I have to say all my predictions were completely wrong, as it usually is in such situations. Box braids are quite comfortable and will suit you no matter what size you are. So I did all my research on it, found myself a good hairdresser and went for it!When I did my research this is what I found.

Box braids range from a big, medium and small size. You have to know the basics for you to plan for the perfect box braid style. 

The bigger the braid the more the hair/extensions.

This probably goes without saying! Especially if they are long braids be ready to spend quite a bit for it to come out well.  If you have a bohemian sense of style then this should suit you perfectly. Since this style requires a lot of hair/extensions, as I mentioned before, it will be heavier depending on the amount of hair that each braid will hold, so make sure your neck is prepared for the pressure. 

See more pictures on large and extra-large size box braids 

The medium braid

 This size is  perfect for anyone and the versatility of the hairstyle makes it more that the perfect choice. If you want something sophisticated and give yourself room to be versatile then this is for you. Particularly if you just want to try box braids out for the first time (like me). This hairstyle is heavy at the beginning but as time goes on, I found the weight to be bearable, which I'm sure would be the case with any size. You can also switch it up by adding some updo styles, the weight is there but like I said its bearable (I try updo styles occasionally).

See more pictures of medium size box braids 

The smaller the braid size the less the extensions required.

If you are not so extravagant and would still love to keep your hairstyle sophisticated and still comfortable for every day, then this is what you are looking for. This style is not too heavy and is perfect for for the working woman. Small box braids are very versatile and can be switched up with a wide range of undo styles. The only downfall to this is the amount of time it would take for the style to be completed. You may want to set aside a whole day for this. 

See more pictures on small size box braids

Box braids are a fantastic go to protective style once in a while. I say once in a while because this hairstyle does put pressure on your natural hair and can sometimes damage the hairline. However that is no reason to completely rule them out. 

                                                       

Well there you have it, I hope this helped you ladies, try box braids out (if you haven’t already) and tag me in your picture I would love to see how they came out.

Until my next post stay beautiful!

P.S tag me in your picture on social media twitter: @KarenPaida, Tumblr: @263isme

(Disclaimer: Most of the pictures below are sourced from Pintrest to show you the look of each box braid style size.)