▁and ▁the ▁Neg rito , ▁because ▁of ▁its ▁contribution ▁to ▁en hanced ▁comfort ▁levels ▁under ▁tropical ▁climate ▁conditions . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Cont inental ▁Africa ▁Histor ically , ▁many ▁cult ures ▁in ▁contin ental ▁Africa ▁developed ▁ha irst yles ▁that ▁defined ▁status , ▁or ▁identity , ▁in ▁regards ▁to ▁age , ▁eth nic ity , ▁wealth , ▁social ▁rank , ▁mar ital ▁status , ▁religion , ▁fert ility , ▁ad ul th ood , ▁and ▁death . ▁H air ▁was ▁carefully ▁gro omed ▁by ▁those ▁who ▁understood ▁the ▁a est h etic ▁standard , ▁as ▁the ▁social ▁imp lications ▁of ▁hair ▁gro oming ▁were ▁a ▁significant ▁part ▁of ▁community ▁life . ▁D ense , ▁thick , ▁clean , ▁and ▁neat ly ▁gro omed ▁hair ▁was ▁something ▁highly ▁adm ired ▁and ▁sought ▁after . ▁H air ▁gro om ers ▁possessed ▁unique ▁sty ling ▁skills , ▁allowing ▁them ▁to ▁create ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁designs ▁that ▁met ▁the ▁local ▁cultural ▁standards . ▁H air ▁was ▁usually ▁dressed ▁according ▁to ▁local ▁culture . ▁ ▁In ▁many ▁traditional ▁cult ures , ▁commun al ▁gro oming ▁was ▁a ▁social ▁event ▁when ▁a ▁woman ▁could ▁social ize ▁and ▁strength en ▁b onds ▁between ▁herself , ▁other ▁women ▁and ▁their ▁families . ▁Histor ically , ▁hair ▁bra iding ▁was ▁not ▁a ▁paid ▁trade . ▁Since ▁the ▁African ▁di as por a , ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁and ▁ 2 1 st ▁centuries ▁it ▁has ▁developed ▁as ▁a ▁mult im ill ion - d ollar ▁business ▁in ▁such ▁regions ▁as