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All Woman
The gift of 'good hair'
By NADINE WILSON All Woman writer
Monday, November 02, 2009
LIKE having the menses and transitioning from primary to secondary school, the first relaxer is viewed as a rite of passage into adulthood for many young girls. Some who could not wait to be handed such a gift prior to their primary school graduation night can attest to throwing towels and pyjamas over their heads, flashing them from side to side as they would a flowing mane of hair.
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| LAWRENCE...takes pride in her shoulder-length natural hair |
This was done for the most part, as many were socialised to believe that straight, long hair, was something to be desired, while the natural, kinky hair passed down to those of African descent was something to be despised. Others were just plain tired of having their mothers or grandmothers 'kunk' them in the head or chastise them for having 'bad hair' each time a comb broke.
Some had their hair eventually seared into contrition with hot combs and, later on, with relaxers, which were made popular among African-American women when Madam CJ Walker developed her wide range of products and techniques to help soften the texture of black women's hair.
Nicole, now in her 20s vividly remembers her mother getting her hair permed at age 10. This was in an effort to get her shoulder-length hair to be more "manageable".
But after many years of exposure to chemical relaxers, her hair started to break, resulting in her going back natural three years ago.
"The crème cut off my hair, so at the end of everything I just had like about three inches of hair left," she said.
Within three years, she has managed to get back her shoulder length hair and has vowed never to go the chemical route again.
"I have it in rope twist and cornrow, and whenever I am pulling it out, I just go to the hairdresser and let them wash it and twist it again, same time," she said.
In addition to the fact that caring for her hair is now made cheaper, Nicole's church does not approve of women processing their hair.
Like Nicole, 22-year-old Jody-Anne Lawrence takes pride in her shoulder-length natural hair, which has never been touched by chemicals.
"I love my natural hair because I can do a variety of things with it," she said.
On the other hand, 24 year-old Ramonia Higgins said she does not intend to go back natural, not anytime soon anyway. Although her mother was the one who processed her hair at age 11, she is grateful for her making that decision.
"It is now softer and lighter and easier to manage," she said. "It's really about it being easier to manage, especially since I am working, I don't have much time to be combing my hair, so with it relaxed, I can just style it and be out the door."
There are some who argue that black women's lack of toleration for their kinky hair is steeped in slavery during which time anything unique to black's were deemed inferior. By going lye, it is assumed that black women are seeking the idealised attributes of white women, which includes their softer hair.
But sociologist Dr Orville Taylor believes slavery has nothing to do with modern-day Jamaican women turning to relaxers and other hair-straightening regiment.
"In a different period, the idea of it being a very strong rejection of one's Africanness would be much more relevant, but I think by and large we have come to a kind of Creole notion of beauty that is halfway between the continental Africans and the Europeans," he said.
He said black women's decision to process their hair has nothing to do with wanting to be white, as some have suggested over the years. Had this been the case, then Africans would have adopted other white ideals of beauty.
"The fact is, we still have a very African notion of body beauty. We don't like the wide hips and flat bust characteristics of North American whites and European whites. Having a big backside in the Caribbean among black people is something that is prized," he said.
Next week: What's in that relaxer? A mom tells why she relaxes her young daughter's hair and women talk about whether the obsession is with 'good hair', or manageability.
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