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

Me, My Hair, and I by Elizabeth Benedict

Me, My Hair, and I

twenty-seven women untangle an obsession

by Elizabeth Benedict

(2015 - Algonquin Books)

These twenty-seven "hair pieces" offer up reflections and revelations about family, race, religion, ritual, culture, motherhood, politics, celebrity, what goes on in African American kitchens and at Hindu Bengali weddings, alongside stories about the influence of Jackie Kennedy, Lena Horne, Farrah Fawcett, and the Grateful Dead. Layered into these essays you'll find surprises, insights, hilarity, and the resonance of common experience. Marita Golden writes about her grief over what so many African American women still endure to obtain "good hair." Patricia Volk itemizes her seventeen hair care products, each with a price tag. Myla Goldberg tells of how ill equipped she was to tend the hair of her adopted biracial daughter. And Suleika Jaouad describes the ravages of chemotherapy and the empowerment of shaving designs onto her head. Source : http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24001099-me-my-hair-and-i

#Culture #Religion #Politics #Society

#Hair Story
#Book

Trichologiques (An anthropology of the hair and body hair) in French - Christian Bromberger

Trichologiques

Une anthropologie des Cheveux et des poils

(An anthropology of the hair and body hair)

Christian Bromberger

(Bayard, 2010)

The author relies on his own ethnographic surveys (in Iran, in the Mediterranean countries, in Hokkaido, in the cancer department of a hospital ...) and on a considerable documentation that includes all continent and period of The story, Christian Bromberger tells his various encounters with hair. Hair offers singular properties to symbolize the differences between the sexes, between the social statuses, between Neighboring or distant populations but also between submissive and insubordinate, between the order of the monastery and the wandering of the hermit, between the civilized and the savage …

#Culture #Society #History #Religion #Symbolism #Gender

#Book

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

Natural Hair Trade

GEOreport (in French) about the natural hair trade, following all the successive steps involved, from the "harvest" of natural hair to the hairdresser's re-use of it. The report is presented by Jesus Christ TV, to sensibilise Christians not to wear natural extensions, due to the fact that it is hair initially given to a non-christian divinity.

#Economy #Hairtrade #Religion #Christian
#Extension #Wig 
#Documentary #TVShow

Hair story from Soueloum

It is said that hair is the first adornment of women.
The continuity of energy coming maybe from the sky.
Where I come from we say that when a man pulls a tuft of hair of his wife, this is grounds for divorce.
A married woman cannot cut her hair.
During her menstrual period, a woman doesn’t dress her hair
After delivery, it takes forty days before a woman takes care of her hair.
For major festivities women let their hair exposed to the open air during forty-eight hours, before braiding it.
It is said that "to know the mood of a woman, look at her hair and its health."
A woman who makes her prayers is not allowed to have her hair out in the open air. 

Soueloum, 60’s, Male, Tuareg of Mali
#Culture #Society #Religion #FirstAdornment #CulturePractice 

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 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 by Dahlia

I never had the luxury of “going natural”. Growing in New Testament Church of God believing household there was no real choice. It could only be natural. I’m grown now. Free to make my decision I wish concerning my hair. But I keep it natural. I’ll keep it that way. It’s the pride and the struggle of it all that keeps me keeping it this way. It’s the pride and the struggle of it all that keep me from letting anyone touch it. There’s too much history in this coils. I keep them sacred.

Dahlia, 19, Female, Jamaica

#Religion #Sacred #Pride #Struggle

#OwnChoice

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 by Adam: Hair journey

I grew up with long hair, had to cut it when I switched to a catholic highschool - boys weren’t allowed long hair if you were mixed race or black. For years I waited to grow it back. I moved to Jamaica for university and grew it all back, 18 inches in 2 and half years. I was harder than remembered and wore the styles I once loved but they no longer fit my adult face. I tried new looks and all the while I couldn’t settle myself. Pain of combing, twisting, knotting I couldn't settle.

So I picked a look and stuck to it, I liked it, kinda, but everyone loved it: twists. I grew it longer and more and more I could control it. Dirt from sports, sweat from the sun, water, salt & pool - I wasn’t happy like before, but everyone loved it and I thought I did too. I then locked it, I thought it was the right choice. For months it was… what I wanted, right?

But I stopped one day, and I found an unknown barber, and cut it all away, felt my scalp all sensitive, so naked, like before. This look suit me to me, I was happier? right?

But no one liked it like I did. Oh well, I was happier…

Adam, 24, Male, Trinidad

#Religion #SchoolRules

#Change 

Hair Story by Michail

I started growing my hair for college but I was forced to cut it because of religion and my parents. I want to colour my hair but I live in constant fear of being labelled a homosexual. I am open with my sexuality - but I still fear death.

Currently I’m growing my hair again.

Let’s see how this goes.

Michail, 19, Male, Jamaica-Barbados

#SocialPressureFamily #Gender #Religion

#LongHairForMen #Colour