Freeing Our Hair
My favourite subject (see previous post)! I came across this article, published last November, urging women to make peace with our natural hair. When the author says "natural", I’m not sure whether she is referring to hair worn in its natural state (i.e. without relaxers or perms), or if she means wearing your own hair out (i.e. without wigs, braids, weaves, or other extensions).Whatever her definition of natural is, she makes a number of points that I agree with – the biggest of which is that it is okay for us to leave the extensions at home and wear our own hair. I have noticed that in Nigeria it is a rare, rare day when you see a woman out without her beloved weaves, braids or wigs. Believe me, I have no problem with extensions and do wear braids from time-to-time (infact I have in kinky twists at the moment), but it would be great if more women choose to invest as much time in caring for their own hair, as they do in the extensions they choose to cover up their hair with.
6 comments:
I thoroughly love your blog. Stumbled across it a couple of days ago and I have read every single one of your entries. Isn't that just so sad.. but I don't care and I do identify with a lot of the stuff you blog about... being an introvert (and tying to overcome it), life in Nigeria/Lagos, discovering the real me and so forth. You are one brave woman I must say, for returning to Nigeria. when I left the shores of Lagos five and a half years ago, it was with the decsion made that I will not be returning, at least not to live anyway. I have been back a few times since (including coming back to get married in Lagos as well)and I still haven't changed my mind. As much I as miss it sometimes, I just cannot see myself going back there to settle. But I do so admire people who do. So well done!
Got in this evening to find that my January issue of O, the Oprah Magazine had arrived. Just thought I should let you know since you are well into the natural look (at least when it comes to hair) that you will love the January cover of Oprah. She's in cornrows and she looks brillant!
I will look out for the Jan. issue of O! I have seen photos of Oprah in cornrows, but never on her show or at big events. I'm sure she looks great, because she has the most beautiful (and thick) hair.
Thanks for your comments about my blog. I really enjoy writing in it.
Deciding to move back to Lagos was tough initially, but once my mind was made up, I started looking forward to all the things that I had missed being away.
There are things that I'm still struggling to get used to being without i.e many of my creature comforts in Boston, but on the whole , I think human-beings adapt surprisingly easily.
amen!!! i wish more black women will just make peace with their hair. i mean..for goodnes sake...everything we do just leads to damage...tugging it into weaves and braids breaks your hair...relaxers do the same... we are an entire race that is totally clueless about their own hair...i can't believe i didn't even know what my natural hair felt like until three years ago. it's terrible that i was brought upt o believe that my natural hair was ugly.
now as an adult, i've just realised that it's time to be normal and sensible about my hair.
@ Ngozi: Tell me about it!!!! Our natural hair is beautiful and not enough people seem to know this. I swear, if anyone asks me what I'm going to do with my hair or when I'm going to get my hair "done", I will scream.
well you know...your hair is not done until it is hidden under plastic hair or fried and laid to the side with a relaxer, tong or hooded dryer. *chuckling*
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