Hair Story: removing my lox ...

I wore lox for thirteen years. I felt insecure when I removed. People I knew stopped relating to me in their usual ways.

X., 60, Female, Jamaica

#Identity

#Dreadlocks #HairAsProtection

Dreadlocks: they are universal!

The Girl and the Magpie, Charlotte's dreads, 2016

Existing from antiquity, worn everywhere in the world ever since, often by religious movements: they are universal!

#History #Religion #Culture

#Dreadlocks

The first traces of dreadlocks come from ancient Egypt where the royal family and high political dignitaries wore them either in the natural or wig. Very present in African culture as early as 2000 BC, they are also found in the Indian culture worn by the god Shiva, in Mexico raised by the Aztecs from the 14th century BC, but also by the Germanic, Greek, The Celts ... a universal hairstyle! These capillary stalactites have often had a religious connotation: the Nazarites of Judaism, the sadhu of Hinduism, the Dervishes and the Coptic monks of Christianity have borne them. The Bible makes regular

You don't haffi dread to be Rasta

Morgan Heritage: You don’t haffi dread to be Rasta
Lyrics here...

#Identity #Religion #Rastafarism
#Dreadlocks
#Song
#Jamaica

Hair Story: When is it My Hair?

Hair Story about locs found on the Blog: Speaking From An Open View (click on it to read the full article)

"What annoys me, is the comment about my hair type which is considered to be ‘good hair’, which makes me think that people have the perception that only people with bad hair should loc their hair, which is not true. Mi sure know say, when I need to do my hair, no one offers to  give me money to do it, so why do you think I’m going to trim for you? What is funny is that some of these people that we emulate and admire for their ‘good hair’ don’t even take care of it."
(...)

Hair History from Mazola

I’m an African male living in Kingston. I’m wearing dreadlocks and I’m always surprised that people, here in Jamaica, relate them to the rasta religion and culture only, whereas so many different people in for example Africa wear them.

When focusing on Kenya only, in the Giriama culture (tribe from the Kenyan coast), the widow wears locks. 

In the sect of Legio Maria, a dissident sect from the Catholic Church, which initiated among the Luo tribe (the tribe of origin of Obama’s father), the men are wearing locks.

The Akorino people (a religious group) are wearing dreadlocks under a turban, like the Bobo Rasta. 

The Wadawida (Taita) (living at the border of Tanzania), to whom I belong, wore locks for beauty.

The Turkana people (North of Kenya) wear locks in a Mohawk style.

There are the Mau Mau as well, Kenyan freedom fighters,  who  wore dreadlocks fighting the British. 

But not the Masai (who are better known), who wear extensions.

And in Senegal, the Baye Fall (an Islamic sect) wear locks as well. 

Mazola, Male, 52, Kenya-Jamaica

#Dreadlocks #Africa #Culture

Hair Story from Charlotte: Tired of the stereotypes

Charlotte had long dreads. She eventually cut them entirely, tired of the stereotypes into which people tried to lock her, as well as of the many police controls she had to undergo. To keep her dreadlocks, she made a wig out of them.

Charlotte, 30 's, Female, Belgium 

#Culture #Stereoptype
#Wig #Dreadlocks

Hair Story from Véronique

Whereas my hair (long natural brown hair) can provoke sometimes reactions in some parts of the world (people touching it, asking me if it’s mine, mentioning the fact that some of it is turning white), my partner’s dreadlocks nearly always provokes reactions, wherever we are, even in our home country (Belgium). From simple curiosity (which can go quite far sometimes: in Cuba, a woman set up a whole scheme trying to take a picture of herself with my partner, without him being aware of it) over fear and near panic (in Burkina Faso, at a time where he loosened his hair, some people got very frightened), to straight rejection (in Turkey a number of men came to explain, repeatedly and not always very kindly, that men really couldn’t not wear long hair) and systematic police or custom control, wherever we goes. 

Here in Jamaica, where people in the street are called by their most visible characteristic, I’m called « Whitie », whereas my partner is called « Rasta », his hair (and what it could means here) apparently being a more important trait than his skin color.

Véronique, 40’s, Female, Belgium-Jamaica 

#Culture #CulturalPerception  #Gender #Stereotype 

#Dreadlock

Hair Story from Marvette

My Jamaican niece lives in China. She wears dreadlocks. She says that people stop to ask her to touch her dreads and take pictures. There are not many blacks in China but it is not the color that intrigues them, it is her hair.
Marvette, 55’s, Female, Jamaica
#Culture #CulturalEncounter #Dreadlock

Hair Story from Omar

I’ve had dreadlocks of various length for more than 20 years, but I practice zen, so am not attached to them :)
While I could happily have short or no hair, I feel like my hair is a kind of connection to the more beautiful aspects of Jamaica and it's culture (call it livity) - and also enjoy not having to think about haircuts or styling :) 

Omar, 40, Male, Jamaica 

#Culture #SymbolLivity #Dreadlock #Easy 

Hair Story from Paul

I started to grow my locks in 2007, while I was in college. I locked my hair, pulled the locks out, locked my hair again, pulled the locks out again, to finally let them grow. Growing locks teaches me patience.
I wear lock for their beauty and as a symbol of strength. I have no intention to cut them. People often ask if they can touch them, also if they are real, I guess they suspect I’m wearing extensions. 

Paul, Male, Jamaica 

#Symbolism #SymbolStrengh 
#Dreadlock #Extension

Hair Story from C.

One day my boyfriend decided to cut his dreadlocks. I had always known him with them. Suddenly he seemed so fragile to me ...
C., 40, Female, Belgium
#Symbol #Strengh 
#Dreadlocks

Hair Story from David

I grew up in the 70s when Bob Marley and the Rastafarian movement was in ascendancy. Dreadlocks represented power, rebellion and a absolute cool that only a reggae star performer could conjure up. But alas, genes worked against me and I started losing my hair in my 20s, rapidly! I remember rubbing my hand across the top of my head and seeing at least ten strands of hair left deserted on the palm of my hand. The demise continued and today I am left with a Hippocratic Wreath which is a fancy way of saying you have hair only on the sides and back of your head. I still have not totally got over not having dreads. Sometimes, I dream of having dreads and I wake up happy!

David, 50’s, Male, Jamaica 

#Symbolism #SymbolPower #SymbolRebellion #Dreadlock #Loss 

Hair Story by Pauline: “Welcome Empress”!

In my heart as long as I can remember I was a Rastafarian…. but was not allowed to practice then as my family look down on Rastas. 

I went to UK at the young age of 14. Always know I would locks. Again me working environment look down on Rastas. However I reach the wonderful age of 40 and though enough was enough, took out my long weave, started my locks, but was so afraid to venture out, how was I going to explain my short little twist to my White colleagues at work. 

After 2 days, I venture out and the 1st Man I met was a Rasta and his 1st word was “Welcome Empress”. I have not look back since…. love me and my HAIR for once!!

Pauline, 57, Female, UK

#Dreadlocks #Religion

#WelcomeEmpress

Hair Story by Chantal: I feel free without label

I have naturally curly kinky big hair that I now love. But for years I didn’t. I wanted waves + uniformed curls. At age 12 I got my first relaxer. At age 15 I cut that all off. But still I was not comfortable with my hair texture. Then at around 18 I started growing locks which I loved for around four years. Then I missed the loose texture + the dreads felt heavy, hot + I felt burdened (?) In 2011 I cut the locs off + freed myself since then. I have coloured, straighten + shaped + styled my hair. Now I feel free without label + without restrictions.

Chantal, 29, Female, Jamaica 

#NaturalHair

#FreeWithoutLabel

Hair Story by Cyrandea

My hair was locked when I was about 4 years old. I cut it when I was 6 and then it has been growing since then. I grow my hair now and then with natural products. People always ask me how do I take care of it! “Does it pull your head” and a lot more. My hair symbolizes my religion. I am a Rastafari Christian. I am a vegetarian because we believe in levity. I love my hair so much.

Cyrandea, Female, Jamaica

#Religion

Hair Story: My locks = my antennae

I have locs & I lace them. They are a part of me & have a life of their own. I have considered cutting them or going back to an afro by loosening them. However, I have decided to let them live to grow free down to my ankles. The energy. The antennae. The vibrations. I believe that my frequency stays high because of my thick, beautiful locs. Jah know.

X., 31, Female, Jamaica

#Religion #Energy #Spirituality

#Dreadlocks 

Hair Story by Aisha

I was raised Bobo-Shanti Rasta spending my early years in Bobo Hill. We migrated to the U.S. With age I became disillusioned with organised religion and the patriarchy to which most subscribe. When I cut at age 20 strangers stopped me in the streets to ask why.

Aisha, 40, Woman, Jamaica / USA

#Religion

#Dreadlocks

Hair Story: “Where is my daughter? “

I am Rasta. I remember when after three years of having locks I saw my mom for the first time in 4 years. We waited about an hour for her at the airport. I was nervous but equally excited. I had found my now husband (a rastaman) and through him I had also found Jah, then came my locks. My mother arrived from Canada and her first words were “Where is my daughter? “

She touched my hair and asked me “Where is my daughter? What happened to your hair? What happened to you?”

X., 38, Female, Jamaica

#Religion 

#Dreadlocks

Hair Story from Paul: dreadlocks as a symbol of reconciliation with my own desire ...

I always wanted to have longer hair but never have the courage to do it because of the fear not to be socially fully accepted.

Recently I decided to let it grow and aim at to have dread locks as a symbol of courage, rebellion but as well reconciliation with my own desire.

Paul-Emile, 28, Male, Haiti

#Gender #Stereotype #SocialPressure #Symbole

#LongHairForMen #Dreadlocks

Hair Story from Mau Mau: It is my spiritual antenna

My locks began to grow to show my courage, help me to take the stand I want to take, it is my identity of resistance from many stereotype that women/female is place in. After 2 decade we now have a relationship. I love my locks, we come this far it is my spiritual antenna.

Mau Mau C, 100+, Mother, Africa New

#Gender #Spirituality #Resistance

#Dreadlocks