cornrows

thumb|A woman with cornrows Cornrows (also called canerows) are a style of three-strand braids in which the hair is braided very close to the scalp, using an underhand, upward motion to make a continuous, raised row. Cornrows are often done in simple, straight lines, as the term implies, but they can also be styled in elaborate geometric or curvilinear designs. They are considered a traditional hairstyle of African braiding practice in many African cultures, as well as in the African diaspora. They are distinct from, but may resemble, box braids, Dutch braids, melon coiffures, and other forms of plaited hair, and are typically tighter than braids used in other cultures.

The name cornrows refers to the layout of crops in corn and sugar cane fields in the Americas and Caribbean, where enslaved Africans were displaced during the Atlantic slave trade. According to Black folklore, cornrows were often used to communicate on the Underground Railroad and by Benkos Biohó during his time as a slave in Colombia. They often serve as a form of Black self-expression, especially among African Americans, but have been stigmatized in some cultures. Cornrows are traditionally called "kolese" or "irun didi" in Yoruba, and are often nicknamed "didi braids" in the Nigerian diaspora.