Here's wishing all those in our dreadlock tribe -- oldies and newbies -- a mellow day and a great weekend (without anyone reaching out and touching our locs or asking any inane questions like whether we have bugs in our dreads or why we don't UN-dread them and have long hair!!). Keep 'em flowing! x0x0x0x0x
***And here's one of my favorite SPOT-ON dreadlock-related video collabs from YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22pZrCwAb6o
blessings....
ReplyDeleteDreadlock appreciation day? Alright then, go on with you bad self and do with without apologies. Hey!
Well I do have my 2 cents about dreadlocks, oh its not on the look or any insane mythical stups just that it has evolved from what I've known it to be, mean and stand for. Back in the day, it was associated with a particular lifestyle, philosophy, (earthiness, naturalness, renewing/replishing, spirituality, vegetarism etc) way of living, expressing and being i.e. Rastafari, Hale Salasse now its en vogue, a fashion statement no longer can one take it for granted or assume the aforementioned.
Now when I encounter a person with a dreadlock if we happen to be engaged in conversation one of my question is, are you a true dread (meaning lifestyle/philosophy etc) or is it just the hairstyle a transition i.e. an embracing of the uniqueness of our natural hair).
Well thats my 2 cents worth.
Peace.
Stay blessed and continue to do you joyfully and without apology.
rhapsody
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Hey sis! It's good to hear from you. Yes, the issue of dreads has become more and more complex over the past 30 or 40 plus years now. The whole appreciation day idea was actually the idea of some fellow dreads on YouTube a long while back. Just as a way to celebrate and acknowledge the journey. I must say, I personally look at cultivating dreads as a journey of self-discovery. No one's journey needs to/should mimic another's. It teaches you patience, self-love, discipline, respect and so many other lessons.
ReplyDeleteI can't help but look at the journey as being like a bonsai tree. Some branches split off into the belief of Rastafari. And even those branches split off into more branches because not all Rastafari walk the Ital path (strict vegetarianism, etc.). Then there are others for those of us who have embraced the beauty of their natural hair and refuse to slather hair relaxers and all the other unnatural crap marketed towards women and men of color with coily Afro/Caribbean textured hair. Many feel a deep connection, not just to styles worn by Jamaican brothers and sisters, but also to African tribes like the Masai, Himba and others who actually inspired early Rastafari. In the early 70's, my old, dear Jamaican babysitter used to tell me stories of how she'd try to listen to Rastafari she knew as a child. Her family and so many other Jamaicans looked at them as unkempt wild men, but she saw a cry for true culture and self-love. She always remarked how some of the Rastafari would talk about the first pictures they saw of some Africans with "matted" locks. They took that inspiration and built upon it. It didn't all start in Jamaica. Many cultures have a history connected to dreads (particularly holy people -- like the Sadhus of India). There are many, many branches of the tree and they're all powerful and meaningful.
There have definitely been times in my 17 years of cultivating my dreads, where I've known others who had theirs for a while and then suddenly cut them off, returning back to the quicksand of relaxers and hair straightening. It struck me as sad, but I also remind myself that it is after all a journey. Sometimes we have to figure things out for ourselves and discover our own truth. I've also seen many who got rid of their dreads come back to the journey after realizing they fell back into such self-hate (and big debt after paying salons for endless expensive relaxers and hair weaves). I do believe in the power dreads have as they grow and change with us over the years. They carry the energy of the highs, lows, triumphs and losses we experience. I absolutely understand the need some sisters and brothers have when they say they needed to cut their dreads to "cleanse" the old energy and start a new journey again.
Anyways, that's a lot of what I feel deeply about dreads. Sometimes I think I might like to write a book, but I really shy away from it. Doing this blog is a great release for me to share things. I hope you've been well, sis. Whatever is going on your life right now, I wish you so much peace and happiness. Keep the energy flowing on your beautiful blog! x0x0x0x