Faux_Play
Smile...sunshine is good for your teethLaugh...whoever came up with the saying "laughter is the best medicine" never had gonorrhea
Love...it makes your tummy tickle
The Faux War
So for as long as I can remember, I have been one of dema gyals who would have her hair done at least once a month as if it was some form of tradition. This can generally be said for most women. If you had some shillings, you could acquire some hair didings. Especially as a child, hair styling was something of cultural significance within my community. We would all eagerly await payday to receive our usual fix of relax, wash or if you’re lucky, a chance to try out the new hairpiece on the market. Hair existed in phases of trends. The Yaki Bulk stage rocked, every woman was glowing with her mane of ever-flowing long silky hair, something not quite innate in her. Then there was the soft dreads, the real dreads, the stage of ama hot water and then something new started to blossom on the horizon of hair styling: The popularisation of the weave. I remember the attainment of my first weave happened very naturally, to me it just seemed like a normal, progressive transition from hair piece to hair weave. I had just relaxed my afro and was gatvol of braids nama Da Brat. Everything was all groovy from then on, I tried the Rihanna bobs, The Keri Hilson blondes, the long, the short, the fihla-ngama-pin, the “on sales” at Discom even the “loss my hare’s”. And I loved it! I loved the creative freedom that was granted to me every time I walked into a hair salon. Imagining that perfect cut and then almost sobbing when the stylist gets it just right and your face looks like you’ve just had ten Botox injections! Walking out there and gleaming as the wind blew through my hair in the streets of Braamfontein was the shiiiit. Then crash bang, a realisation. The weave was getting too long, too expensive, too complex, suddenly there where Brazilian pieces, Indian imports, price tags, comparisons etcetera etcetera. Once again I was gatvol of my follicle blues but this time I just completely let it all go. A number of people were shocked while on the other hand, others commended me for my so called ‘naturalness’. That would shock me since essentially, I had not really changed at all, I just looked different externally.
It seems there is this assumption that a weave decreases your African authenticity as it represents a Western image of beauty. Granted, black women are not born with silky long hair but when I (and a lot of other women) are sitting in a hair salon, we are not thinking “oh my gosh I can’t wait to look like a white person!” It’s more, I am so glad I am going to look sophisticated and sleek with my new do. Hairstyling is just a part of who we are and if we need to use extensions to further express this unlimited fountain of ideas then forward we go! I believe the evolution of hair is ever growing. One’s image plays a pivotal role in their acceptance as well as relevance in society and women mostly go to extreme lengths to achieve a good image. I am not one who would actually perform plastic surgery but I have seen how it has dramatically changed people’s lives and spark up a fire they never even knew they had. This also includes manicures, extended eye lashes, piercings, tattoos and even clothing. Exploring these different things gives one a sense of control over their own bodies and identity. So just because a woman prefers her hair to look long and silky, it does not mean that she is not proud of her black heritage, it is an expression of her freedom and creativity. I am so sick of hearing men say that women should be done with the weave like it’s some douche or other harmful fad! They fail to acknowledge how hairstyling is so much a part of who we are and it is naturally taking new heights and lengths haha. So sisters be proud in your purchased locks and don’t give a rats ass if people think you’re a so called fake, I mean who is rweaallly all natural in this day and age? Practically everyone either shaves, waxes, pricks, plucks… errr tans or something! Hair does not change your ethnicity or quality as an African woman, there is so much more to us than that.
*faux: artificial, fake, imitation
That awkward moment when you say something really deep:
First Reaction: Wow, how the fuck did I think about it?
Second Reaction: I’M A POET!!!!
Bitches better learn from me
(Source: allonso, via the-absolute-funniest-posts)
