Hair braiding can be traced back to 3500 B.C. in Africa. Earliest evidence of hair braiding were depicted in Egyptian drawings. The different types of braids used varied from culture to culture and among social classes. Braids are regarded both as a cultural trait of the African people, and as a fashion statement. There are a deep history and cultural differences of hair braiding within various African tribes on the continent.
Cornrows:
Cornrows, sometimes called Canerows are traditionally known as Fulani braids, after the Fulani women of East and West Africa. Braids and cornrows have been worn in African and Caribbean countries. These are braided very close to the scalp and promote hair growth.
Box braids:
Box braids are individual plaits that are usually divided by small squared off parts or boxes. Box braids may be of any width or length. The great thing about these braids is that because they are not attached to the scalp like cornrows, they may be manipulated into several different styles. It may take a long time to complete the style, but the finished product is beautiful and lasts for months.
Check out this variety of box braids called as twists or Senegalese twists.
Dreadlocks:
Even though it is difficult to know the date for the origin of dreadlocks in Africa, it has been discovered that the first archeological proof of people wearing dreadlocks came from Egypt. There, mummies have been recovered with their dreadlocks still in tact.
The oldest historical record of an African tribe rocking dreadlocks can be credited to the Coptic religion’s priests in Ethiopia, who used to wear dreadlocks as 500 BCE.- The Encyclopedia of Hair, A Cultural History
Many African tribes, such as the Maasai of Kenya have been wearing dreadlocks for so long.
Rastafarianism, commonly known as Rastafari regards dreadlocks as both a sign of their African identity and a religious vow.
Rastafarians grow their hair into dreadlocks, because it is a part of the Nazarite Vow, which their dietary rules are also part of. All Rastafarians take this vow and claim it is commanded by the Bible (Leviticus 21:5 “They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard nor make any cuttings in their flesh”). – Jamaicans.com
Note that the difference between locs and dreadlocks is the following:
Locs is a hairstyle
Dreadlocks is a lifestyle.