They grew their hair into locks as an affront to Jamaican society and to mark their separation from the mainstream. Another tradition places the origin of dreadlocks with the House of Youth Black Faith (HYBF), a group of radical young Rastas who formed in the late Forties. Others say that Rastas were inspired by the locks worn by warriors of the Mau Mau uprising in Kenya during the Fifties.Īlthough Leonard Howell wore his hair short, it is said that his guardsmen at the Pinnacle Commune wore locks as a way to portray strength and instil fear. This has led many to believe that dreadlocks and the smoking of cannabis (note: ‘ ganja’ is a Hindi word) was inspired by traditions brought to Jamaica by Indian indentured labourers. Leonard Howell, hailed as the first Rasta, was known to have links with Indo-Jamaican followers of Hinduism and even had a Hindu-inspired alias ‘Gong Guru Maragh’. The origin of dreadlocks within the Rastafari tradition is a topic of much debate. This was due to the success of Jamaican-born reggae artist Bob Marley following his conversion to Rastafarianism. They are celebrated as bringers of wealth and only their mothers are allowed to touch their hair.Īlthough dreadlocks have been worn continuously by people of colour in Africa, Asia, and the Americas from ancient times until now, their popularisation in the West only occurred in the Seventies. Although when children are born with naturally matted hair, they are referred to as ‘ Dada’' and viewed as spiritual beings. Interestingly, in Nigeria, among both the Yoruba and Igbo people, locked hair is viewed with suspicion when worn by adults. For example, warriors of the Fula and Wolof people of West Africa and the Maasai and Kikuyu tribes of Kenya, are all known for locked hair. In many parts of Africa, locks are associated with strength and only worn by warriors. Similarly, in Mexico, the Spanish recorded the fact that the Aztec priests had their hair untouched, long, and matted. For example in Ghana, the Akan people refer to locks as ‘ Mpɛsɛ’, and they are usually reserved for priests of Akomfo. In other cultures, locked hair is symbolic of a spiritual connection to a higher power. In India, these religious ascetics with locks are referred to as ‘ sadhus’. In some cultures, especially in South Asia and the Middle East, allowing uncombed hair to form into matted locks is a symbol of the rejection of materialism and vanity. The earliest archaeological evidence of locks is found in the mummified remains of Ancient Egyptians as well as from the pre-Colombian Incan civilisation in Peru. For devotees, Shiva’s hair is of such importance that the sacred river Ganges is believed to flow from his matted locks. In almost all visual depictions of Lord Shiva, he is seen with locks of hair flowing past his shoulders or tied above his head in what is called, ‘ jatamukuta’ (crown of matted hair). The earliest written reference of locks is found in Vedic scriptures, holy Hindu texts dating back to 1500BC, in which Lord Shiva’s hair is referred to as ‘ jata’, a sanskrit word meaning “twisted locks of hair”. The history of dreadlocks, understandably, is complex. Comments like those mentioned earlier are not isolated and further reinforce the role of education as a tool to dismantle racism at its base. My page provides a springboard for people of colour to engage meaningfully with their history and reflect on its impact today. We have been written out of history, but puts us front and centre. I receive dozens of messages a day from people expressing their love for the page and thanking me for creating it. I started my page to provide a space for people of colour to celebrate who we were prior to colonisation and the cultural brainwashing that established euro-centric beauty as the standard. This colour-blind, post-racial narrative attempts to erase the diversity and cultural legacy that my page is trying to highlight. The societal advantage that her skin colour affords means that being told that a decision that she had made could be offensive to other people, seems outrageous to her. The comments made by this lady (who goes on to report Italian, German, and Scottish ancestry) reek of white privilege. It minimises structural racism and ignores issues of under-representation of people of colour. Unfortunately, not only is this simply untrue, it is also dangerous. This ideology is based on the assertion that racial privilege does not exist. Her comments are consistent with what is known as colour-blind racism. “It’s HAIR”, she continues, “do what you want with it no matter what race you are!”. A post shared by Kyle Ring (Curator) just wish people would stop complaining about hair!” writes a white lady with electric blue locks.
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