I was flipping through the channels and ran across a documentary with ladies carrying water bottles on their head.

I remember back to my one trip to RSA. We stopped at a market to get supplies and I saw several ladies carrying large containers of fruits and veggies balanced on their heads. Incredible balancing acts. Most of these ladies also had children either in their arms on on their backs. Other women were carrying bags or other containers in their arms.

I remember in reading about old Africa, some of the stories mention porters carring their loads on their heads. I remember seeing some old photos.

Was wondering how widespread this is or was? Is it limited to a certain area or peoples? How much can one carry on one's head? I seem to remember reading about a 40lb loads in some of the old stories.

I would have a sore neck with the fruits. And would probably drop them all

Here's one I saw that not only carried her water around, but enjoyed her bong pipe as well...

Women carrying loads on their heads is even more prevalent in West and Central Africa. I have seen on numerous occasions loads that required two men to lift to place on the women's head. Carrying the equivalent of their own weight is commonplace. They start when they are young girls (5 years old), carrying the water from wells or rivers to the village in buckets or basins. A small doughnut shaped rolled cloth headpiece is normally used between the head and the basin to help equalize the load around the skull.

Most of the women we saw in Kwazulu Natal were doing this. Those walking along the road as well as the women in the game preserve where we stayed.

At the lodge I stayed in on my first trip was in Natal and I saw women as porters at the lodge carring the guest suitcases on their head instead of with the handle.

When I was at Singita the women carried your luggage to your room on their heads. The womens bags had to weigh 60 lbs or more and aren't exactly the equally heavy from one side to the other and they had no problem whatsoever with any of the bags.

It was actually pretty cool to see.

I would imagine that neck problems occur in later years.

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I would imagine that neck problems occur in later years.

Quite the opposite. Older African women and men for that matter rarely have neck or back problems. You will never see a old black there walking stoped over. They hve straight backs til they die.

465H&H

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Carrying the equivalent of their own weight is commonplace.

Ouch!

Yup,causes no problems.
It does absolut wonders to their posture
Walking straight as an arrow develops proper musculature and makes for a fine looking woman

I carry the 50lb dog food sacks from the truck to the shed on my head. I can cover a lot more ground a whole bunch faster that way. Doesn't everybody?

Maybe I'm an African-American Lesbian deep down.