Now since I've been here I've gone through a variety of hair styles. Most of them natural hair styles. and yet, everytime I change, it's the same dumfounded questions I ger.
Dreadlocks
When I first got here, I had mini dreads. meaning, my dreads were in the first year of life and just coming along smoothly. The folks here didn't have a clue as how to react to me. I got the stares, the looks, the touches, the questions, you name it and I got it. The dreads were a aburn tinted brown, not too long for ponytail and all the elegant upsweept dos, but with enough length to do some stuff with. so stuff with my dreads I did. Eventually, with the humdity, and mostly the harsh water, last of styling care needs my dreads took a beating and began to break and shed. I got fustrated and cut them.Braids
I had to make a trip to the Motherland, and I promptly cut the dreads one day and put the braids the next, my time in the country was limited. Braids, long down my back. Do you think that my white friends realized what I did. They asked all kind of questions and I had a lot of explaining to do. From the first set of braids, I went through the variety. Human hair straight, human hair curly, kaneklon curly, straight, synthetic curly, straight, you named it I had them in. All the while people (white folks) thinking that it's my hair. They just couldn't understand the braid concept. No problem. All was going well until one day I took out my braids, and my hair had grown so much it was out of control and hard nappy as could be. I could hardly get a comb through it. So, me with my fast self went and permed my hair. Oh boy did I open a bag of worms.
Perm
So with a half done perm in an attempt to soften my hair, I had to go to the beauty shop to get it dried and put in some kind of order. First mistake. Folks here have no idea what to do with black hair. So my brother. He was as close to a brother as I could find. just blew dry my hair with a brush and sent me out the door. That works for straight wash and wear hair, but it don't gor for balck hair. We need oil, sheen, grease, conditiner and probably some mouse to keep our hair together. By the time I walked out hte door, so went my hair.
Again, I left and when to the mainland. Got a lady in Miami to hook a sister hair up, perm, cut the works. Wow I actually had some serious black hair going on, but reality was that I had to return to Arepaland and was going to need maintenance in a few weeks. Mistake #2 - went again to get same brother work on the sister hair, and did he not butcher my hair.. lordee I wanted to scream. So I decided there and then, no more messing with these beauty folks. It's back to the braids until I leave this place.
Natural Kinky Twist
Now this is where it got really coonfusing to the folks, because my natural twist was looking so natural, that they didn't know whether it was my hair or not. So I just constantly redo the natural twist, change the color every now and then and be on my way. Well folks thought that I was sporting dreads and complemented me on my hair all the time. OK no problem. A few time inbetween, I'd change to s straight braid or so, but mostly stuck with the natural twist. until now...Natural Twist
A couple weeks before the holidays, I took my kinky twist out and decided not to put any extentions in my hair, just do a natural two strand twist and be on my way, let my hair breath for a while. Well that opened another barage of questions as to why I cut my hair and my dreads. OK here goes the explaining again. That went on for a bit. The I threw another curve to the situation
All Natural
I put a natural texturizer in my hair and blow dried it out. Talk about the head stares, the questions, the confused looks. I pulled it back into a ponytail, and attached a afro puff on the back. Lordee did I confuse people. So I've been sporting my all natural for about a month now. putting it in a variety of all natural styles. The novelty is waning for me now, so this weekend, I'll go back to some braids, but this time I'm going to sport some cornrows. Let's see what the reactions will be.
10 comments:
I must admit I'm at a total loss. I chopped my hair off twice, went natural. They sent me on tour and I freaked, permed my hair and its been a battle ever since. Braids is next for me. Human hair I think.
Got to love the number of ways you can do black hair.I have had my hair dhort like aboy in a natural style,then short perm,natural twists,braids and now am relaxers.
dont be suprised, black hair can take so many forms that sometimes its difficult even for black folks to figure out what is what. for instance sometimes i see some weaves that i would believe were real. how ya expect white people ta understand ya hair when 5 times outta six they dont even recognize ya if they see you outside a familiar setting, chupse!
I guess just like how they think all Chinese look alike...all black hair look the same. :) I'm sure you had some fun seeing the look of total despair and confusion on their faces though.
i love the way we can change our hairstyles....
It's interesting how clueless those people are where your hair is concerned.
Hair a hairy weekend, ya hair?
I've kept my hair long and strong since mi was a pickney, and dats di way it will stay!
It's so long, I was in a convenience store lass weekend and dis sista did axe me "Excuse me, where did you get your extensions?" A WHAT? Mi is one hair GROWER, not a hair BUYER, tanks much. I smiled and said, "This is my OWN hair." She smiled and gasped with disbelief. "Really?"
Yes, really.
Be-weave it!!
I like braids, dreads, I like it short, I like chinee bump, braids... I like all the black hairstyles, also bun head (relaxed). I have even gone gaga over baldhead. It just depends on who is wearing it and if it fits you...
Ohhh, don't forget the afro, it back in style nuh? Some people look irie nuh ra$$ in afro too!
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