MARIANNE COSTADE

This hairstyle is traditionally worn by young girls aged 13 to 16 during a rite of passage called "Efiko," practiced in Nigeria. This ritual marks an important transitional stage into adulthood, during which the girls become eligible for marriage according to local cultural norms. Before reaching this stage, they wear a hairstyle known as "elephant ears." Once recognized as ready to enter adult life, this hairstyle is transformed into molded crests, symbolizing acquired maturity. This style was worn for about three months, a period during which the girl fully embraced her new social status. Today, this practice still exists in certain contexts, though it has sometimes been adapted for more aesthetic rather than ritual purposes.