WHY DO BLACK FEMALES FEEL THE NEED TO RELAX THEIR HAIR? A VISUAL DISSERTATION BY EMELINE NSINGI NKOSI BA FASHION TEXTILES 2012
WHY DO BLACK FEMALES FEEL THE NEED TO RELAX THEIR HAIR?
A VISUAL DISSERTATION BY
EMELINE NSINGI NKOSI
BA FASHION TEXTILES2012
CONTENTS PAGE
- List of Illustration
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 - History
- Chapter 2 - The Film
- Chapter 3 - The Psychological and Physical Effects
- Conclusion
- Terminology
- Bibliography
- Progress Map
- Manifesto
Pg. 1
Pg. 4
Pg.6
Pg. 8
Pg. 23
Pg. 27
Pg. 31
Pg 33.
Pg. 36
Pg. 43
Pg. 54
List of Illustrations
Illustration 1. Suku Fulani Hairstyle, Adeleke A. Abraham (2011) Intermediate Yoruba: Language, Culture, Literature, and Religious Beliefs, United States of America. Trafford Publishing. Available at
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=DSwJCton8GgC&pg=PA122&lpg=PA122&dq=Suku+Fulani&source=bl&ots=D_ZhHbafuR&sig=Whd6HItiNelfWgy6MZ0-y0IWXTg&hl=en&ei=i1DNTrjFGoSO8gOo_OTSDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=Suku%20Fulani&f=false
Illustration 2. Suku Ologede.Adeleke A. Abraham (2011) Intermediate Yoruba: Language, Culture, Literature, and Religious Beliefs, United States of America. Trafford Publishing. Available at
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=DSwJCton8GgC&pg=PA122&lpg=PA122&dq=Suku+Fulani&source=bl&ots=D_ZhHbafuR&sig=Whd6HItiNelfWgy6MZ0-y0IWXTg&hl=en&ei=i1DNTrjFGoSO8gOo_OTSDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=Suku%20Fulani&f=false
(Accessed 13.11.11)
Illustration 3. Fontanel Skull, Africa, Date unknown.Available athttp://www.youtube.com/user/OnixIsis#p/u/53/n2_YKVqdVyg (Accessed 13.11.11)
Illustration 4. Fontanel Hair on young black boy, Africa, Date unknownAvailable athttp://www.youtube.com/user/OnixIsis#p/u/53/n2_YKVqdVyg (Accessed 13.11.11)
Illustration 5. Mother and child showing Fontanel Hair, Africa, Date unknown.Available athttp://www.youtube.com/user/OnixIsis#p/u/53/n2_YKVqdVyg (Accessed 13.11.11)
Illustration 6. Ceremony to cut the Fontanel Hair, Africa, Date unknownAvailable at http://www.youtube.com/user/OnixIsis#p/u/53/n2_YKVqdVyg (Accessed 13.11.11)
Illustration 7. Woman with extensions over head ornament, Africa, Date unknown Available athttp://www.youtube.com/user/OnixIsis#p/u/53/n2_YKVqdVyg (Accessed 13.11.11)
Illustration 8. Young Fulani Girl Hairstyle, Africa, Date unknown Available athttp://www.youtube.com/user/OnixIsis#p/u/53/n2_YKVqdVyg (Accessed 13.11.11)
Illustration 9. Adolescent Fulani Girl, Africa, Date unknownAvailable at
http://www.youtube.com/user/OnixIsis#p/u/53/n2_YKVqdVyg (Accessed 13.11.11)
Illustration 10. Unmarried Wolof Girls shaven head, Africa, Date unknownAvailable at http://www.youtube.com/user/OnixIsis#p/u/53/n2_YKVqdVyg (Accessed 13.11.11)
Illustration 11. Extensions used to extend over a hair structure to add height, used in ceremonies, Africa, Date unknown.Available at http://www.youtube.com/user/OnixIsis#p/u/53/n2_YKVqdVyg (Accessed 13.11.11)
Illustration 12. Extensions used in dreadlocked styles, Africa, Date unknown.Available at http://www.youtube.com/user/OnixIsis#p/u/53/n2_YKVqdVyg (Accessed 13.11.11)
Illustration 13. Slavery statue in The Gambia. April 2008Photograph taken by Tracy Jenkins.
Illustration 14. Iron Carding Tool by JF, USA, 1863.Available at http://www.relique.com/antique-1823-flax-comb-hetchel-hatchel-carding-tool-folk-art/ (Accessed 14.11.11)
Illustration 15. Tommie Smith and John Carlos, Mexico Olympics, 1968.Available at http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=1968+olympics&um=1&hl=en&safe=off&client=safari&sa=N&rls=en&biw=1199&bih=726&tbm=isch&tbnid=JFOA4iTHaqnr3M:&imgrefurl=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/magazine_enl_1224239304/html/1.stm&docid=xNzYq3h1pubD5M&imgurl=http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/magazine_enl_1224239304/img/1.jpg&w=650&h=460&ei=NVjNTv7hDNT38QPQ8qTCDw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=206&sig=107294841850005000512&page=2&tbnh=161&tbnw=207&start=18&ndsp=17&ved=1t:429,r:12,s:18&tx=94&ty=73 (Accessed 14.11.11)
Illustration 16. Angela Davis giving a speech, USA, Late 1960sAvailable at http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=angela+davis&num=10&um=1&hl=en&safe=off&client=safari&rls=en&biw=1199&bih=726&tbm=isch&tbnid=JHlq2RjjXVwKHM:&imgrefurl=http://newwavefeminism.tumblr.com/post/3726762223/angela-davis-one-of-time-magazines-most&docid=xszzeu8Y4ng51M&imgurl=http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lhr8j2uwRk1qfyo0uo1_400.jpg&w=400&h=278&ei=ZljNTrO1NcuU8gPej9XGDw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=429&sig=107294841850005000512&sqi=2&page=1&tbnh=171&tbnw=222&start=0&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0&tx=138&ty=78(Accessed 14.11.11)
Illustration 17a. White Afro, USA, Date unknown.Available at http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=white+man+afro&um=1&hl=en&safe=off&client=safari&sa=X&rls=en&biw=1199&bih=726&tbm=isch&t
bnid=Fi2CnPCE7lKLZM:&imgrefurl=http://www.retrohound.com/vintage-white-man-afro-old-year-book-pics/&docid=shTSkHOoM9Uh-M&imgurl=http://www.retrohound.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/BakerRetroHounddotCom-2.jpg&w=506&h=720&ei=Dm_NTrHuJYOA8wOAtd35Dw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=327&sig=107294841850005000512&page=1&tbnh=167&tbnw=115&start=0&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:8,s:0&tx=35&ty=90
Illustration 17b. Robyn Rene Sanders, US Ambassador to Nigeria with dreadlocks, USA, 2007Available athttp://nigeria.usembassy.gov/pr_12112008.html (Accessed 24.11.11)
Illustration 18. Woman before damage occurred from a relaxer, USA, 1996Available at http://thankgodimnatural.wordpress.com/2009/11/16/natural-chic-of-the-week-isabella-brooekhuizen/ (Accessed 24.11.11)
Illustration 19. Woman bald from the effects of relaxing hair, Maastricht, 2001Available athttp://thankgodimnatural.wordpress.com/2009/11/16/natural-chic-of-the-week-isabella-brooekhuizen/ (Accessed 24.11.11)
Illustration 20. Women with broken/bald areas in her hair, unknown, unknown.Available at http://akorra.com/2010/03/21/9-reasons-to-avoid-perms-and-relaxers/ (Accessed 24.11.11)
Illustration 21. Three year old washing relaxer out “my eye” is hurting, USA, 2009Available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBoBR20n8S4 (Accessed 24.11.11)
Illustration 22. Three year old child having relaxer washed out. USA, 2009Available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBoBR20n8S4 (Accessed 24.11.11)
Illustration 23. Three year old happy when seeing the results of her relaxer. USA, 2009Available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBoBR20n8S4 (Accessed 24.11.11)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who has helped me complete this visual dissertation.
First and foremost, I could not say enough thanks to Tracy Jenkins, who has helped me along the way from day one, without her encouragement and determination, I would not have been able to get the research going from as early as May. She is not only my dyslexia tutor but also a mentor, motivator and inspiration.Jeremy Barr and Liz McQuiston for the two tutoring lessons at the end of the second year final term, once I had decided to go ahead with the visual dissertation.They understood where I wanted to take the dissertation and believed I would be able to do it. Jeremy gave me the confidence following making my own manifesto in the first term of second year, and this support allowed me to believe that I would survive a visual dissertation.I would like to say thank you to my dissertation tutor Angela Clarke for letting me run free with the research and layout of this dissertation and allowing me to explore different aspects of black hair with her advice and depth of knowledge.I would like to say a special thank you to Orrel Lawrence, a friendship that blossomed from an afternoon of interviews at the International Black Hair Month event, weʼd only met and we were interviewing 20 minutes after. He gave me the strength to approach key personalities that have given depth into my dissertation. Thank you Batman.
A huge thank you to Lauren Smith who has done the editing for my visual dissertation, without her, it would not exist, she understood what I wanted and made sure I was fine with everything she did, she came to a dissertation tutoring when I showed the video and took mental notes of how she could realise the video accordingly. Thank you Lauren for all the help you have given me, without you, it would not exist.
All of the interviewees that allowed me a bit of their time to ask questions and film; Diane Abbott for stopping and talking to mw even if she was on her way home, Sylvianne Rano and her three children who welcomed me into their home, with warmth and friendliness, Paulette Harris-German after a long day at the International Black Hair Month still managed to let me interview her, Desiree Fraser who let me film her, Shola Alaji for
allowing me to question her, Freddie Edwards and Jermaine Gray who were working towards a deadline, Chris Johnson helped me a lot at the beginning with ideas and filming and let me realise that anything is possible in regards to creating a visual dissertation, Akwasi for letting me have some of his time at the end of a busy second year, Lee Ngungi who came all the way to Ravensbourne and allowed me to take an afternoon of her time to film extensively the interview, Pamela who who not deterred by a stranger asking to interview her on the bus.
INTRODUCTION
Spoken over the video of an outline of my hair- taken in Barcelona
For as long as I can rememberHair was the bane of my life,to be tamed and controlled
RELAXED was the word
The process deemed to solve all my problemsRELAXED
into submission RELAXED
into tameʼnessRELAXED into a lesser self.
But recently a question has bothered meWHY do black girls feel the need to relax their hair?
Black hair demonstrates “revolutionary genius. Like air conditioning, this frizzy kinky hair insulates the head from brutal intensity of the sunʼs rays” (Tharps, Byed (2002) pg 1.)
I understand that in the UK, this does not seem to be of interest, but surely it should be something to be proud of.
Hair was a way of showing your marital status, age, wealth, religion, ethnic identity and
rank in community.Women would spend hours a day dressing their hair, caring for it and cherishing it.
Family members weldedWomen together.
Stories shared so tenderlyover kinks and curls of natural hair.
Yet burn and hair loss is now the cost
For beauty
A beauty not of natural causebut one of artifice and vain.
Reproach.
Reproach to all women who feel they are worthlesswith their natural mane.
Chapter 1 - The History
Pre-slavery, (circa 1300) Black women would spend a vast majority of their time doing their own, as well as each othersʼ hair. A time for bonding and sharing, it was one proud moment when hair would be adorned for weddings, village ceremonies or simply to go to sleep as a protective hairstyle, black hair was cared for in a way that seems archaic in the 21st century.Black hair would be made and manipulated in ways to distinguish your role in society, your marital status, your tribe as well as your country, it held such a big part in society, in a way clothes may possibly do now. Examples can be seen from the Zombo tribes on the border of Angola, where “high coiffure were worn during circumcision ceremonies” (Zombo Tribe http://www.zyama.com),
It was never purely a cosmetic attribute, its social, aesthetic and spiritual significance had been a direct correlation to their sense of self for thousands of years, hair was deemed so important that the hair was groomed by a family member rather than a stranger because of the importance of the task, if hair was the carrier of messages, one could see how impacted into black culture it would have been.If women left their hair undone, it was a sign that something was not right, in Nigeria, it could signal a women was habitually dirty, depressed or bereaved, to highlight the importance in terms of spirituality, hair in Yoruban communities was braided in specific high styles as hair was the most elevated part of the body, therefore believed closest to the divine.
It was believed that as the hair was the closest to the heavens, messages would be sent down through this medium and reach the soul.
All of this in HAIR. It could explain the belief that in Voodoo, a single strand of hair is needed. Its impact can therefore be seen as widespread.
“The Yoruba customarily shave the head on ritual occasions, because the spirits are believed to enter and leave a person through his head” (Adeleke, 2011, http://books.google.co.uk/ pg. 117)On reflection, it could explain why to have oneʼs hair shaven during slavery almost removes a self-esteem shell and exposes you to the world, so to say, but in this case to the spirits.
The importance of hair in religious ceremonies can also be seen in cult initiations, ʻthe priest must shave his head with herbal preparation to sensitize it”(Adeleke, 2011, http://books.google.co.uk/ pg. 118), could be seen to be able to connect to the spirits and be able to be in connection to another realm.
Illu. 1. Illu. 2.
The hairdresser doing the hair would hold a very special place in community life, the most trustworthy.
In babies the ʻfontanelʼ hair, the softest area of a childrenʼs head would be kept long, as to protect the baby from bad spirits. The first time a babyʼs hair is cut, a ceremony is held and the hair is kept by the mother, due to the belief that in the wrong hands, harm may be caused.
Whilst males would shave their head, I am focusing on women, and they were expected to keep their hair long.
Illu. 3.
Illu. 4.
Illu. 5. Illu. 6.
Virtues would be attached to the hairstyles, patience would be shown by the intricacy of the hairstyles, it would sometimes be shaved to rub ritual substances into the scalp but the majority of Yoruba women would fashion their hair in crown-like designs, to honour their ʻinner headʼ/ Ori; a belief that your head - ʻOriʼ was the ʻsoul-personalityʼ, they believed that the soul was the supreme important and that the head determined the destiny of oneʼs life as well as serving as the creator. “The word Ori also signifies personality- soul which is believed to be capable of controlling, ruling and guiding the life and all endeavors of a man on earth. A personʼs success and failure in life depends on his or her “Ori” head” - (Adeleke, http://books.google.co.uk/ Pg 110)
There are three principle methods of shaping the hair:
1) Loose weave or irun biba, a casual and temporary parting and knotting into big buns or cornrows until the styling can be done by a professional.
2) Tight weave or irun didi, a detailed plaiting of the hair into unique designs.
3) The relatively recent practice of weaving, irun kiko, using black thread to tie strands of hair into filaments that are then gathered to form intricate designs.
Illu. 7.
Adolescent have tight braids, separated by a symmetrical parting and a coiled tufted on either side of the head
Unmarried Wolof girls, partly shave their head whilst leaving a little tuft of hair on the top
Young Fulani girls wear very tight long, forehead to neck
Illu. 8.
Illu. 9.
Illu. 10.
Through my research, it was interesting to find out that even prior to slavery, wigs and extensions were used to make ornate hairstyles, as some hairstyles were not possible without adding hair, hair and vegetable fibre were used and men would often use their wivesʼ hair to add length to their own. Importantly they were “African” hairstyles, not
westernised styles.
Hair would be used to extend over a structure to add height
Illu.11.
The theme of the hair connecting to the soul and the most high, is continued in Beni, The Yoruba religion, having dreadlocks is seen as being a devotee of olu-kun, the deity of water, but being born with this curl requires a life as a priest or priestess.
To understand the changes and shifted perceptions of black hair, one must go back to a time where black hair had recently been stripped of its symbolism, shaven like animals, no longer the proud status symbol it once held, but diminished together with black identity:
SLAVERY.
Long extensions to add length Mobalantu of Namibia
Illu. 12.
1444 AC
Illu.13.
Slavery would prove to play a major key role in the shifted perception of what black hair was, if black hair held so much symbolism, to strip it away is to reduce someoneʼs self worth to nothing. Once arrived, one of the first things the slave traders did, if it had not already been done by the captors, was shave the hair off. Just like prisoners taken in war.It was an unspeakable crime.Anonymous cattle.It was supposedly shaven for sanitary reasons, but the effect was much deeper.It was the first step taken to diminish and erase black culture and the relationship between a black person and their hair.The start to a long lost battle against hair had started.
As the British had neither social nor political experience in dealing with slaves, the first African captives were contracted to work under the same terms as the white
indentured servants arriving mainly from England, Scotland and Ireland. After working a specific number of years, the Africans were allowed to buy their freedom and become contributing members of society. In addition owing their scant number of white females, some European men sought native Americans and black women
for companionship and eventually had children with them . (Byrd and Tharps, 2002, p. 11)
These men had been aliens at home and were aliens in America also, they were not so steeped in the colour code.
“Because English Law at the time declared that children inherited the status of their fathers, any mixed child with a European father was considered free at birth.”
“As the years passed, however, indentured servitude for blacks evolved into a race-based institution called slavery. One by one, laws were put into effect that systematically took away the rights of black people, as the British embraced the economic advantage of
slavery.”(Byrd and Tharps, 2002, p. 11)
“In 1662 Virginia courts reversed the status-of-the-father clause so that children inherited the status of their mother. Now children born slaves were also condemned to slavery”
By the early 1770s any person proven with African ancestry, even for as far as 100 years, was considered black, and therefore eligible for be enslaved.
(Byrd and Tharps, 2002, p. 11)
Once they arrived on American soil, no time would be accorded to the caring and maintenance of black hair, what would have taken hours of cherishing and warm exchanges, now was almost non-existent, working the cotton fields meant being in the heat for long periods of time, often between twelve to fifteen hours a day, seven days a week and whilst black hair has a tendency to knot itself due to the kinks and bends, leaving it for periods of time would have left it matted and unbearable to care for. Following the strict regiments of slave labour, left no energy or inclination to wish to do oneʼs hair, out of desperation sheep fleece carding tool would be used to untangle the hair, they would wet their hair and use the carding tool to smooth it, imagining a carding tool with wooden handles and strong steel wire teeth, it is easy to then see how ringworm became pervasive among the slave population, as did lice infestation.
One simple solution black women had found was wearing cotton sheets over their heads in the style of bandanas, what would have previously been unthought of, for hair was for showing, their crowning glory was now being hidden in shame, just to hide the shamefulness of the scabs left from infestations. The bandana- ubiquitous in slave culture.
Illu. 14.
White propaganda was inevitable, where white reigned, and the colour of your skin as well as your hair would be the decider between hard intensive labour or being an in-house servant, envy was to be the result.Slaves who experienced a closer relationship with the white population; cooks, barbers, housekeepers, nurses would often style their hair in imitation of a white style. Having lighter skin meant you could be a Mulatto, where you would have possibly been an offspring of the ʻMasterʼ, resulting in special treatments and upon the ʻMasterʼsʼ death, possible release and a chance of freedom. It had repercussion of what they could do in society.The infamous brown paper bag test, saw societies formed of Mulattoʼs bring about a test that would allow discrimination to entry to places such as churches.The comb test was also introduced; a fine tooth combed would be hung on the entrance of societies and entry would be granted on being able to pass the comb freely through the hair.This was to be the start of an envious cycle, where being lighter equalled straighter hair, therefore the envy of the slaves.In the media, white people were portrayed to be beautiful, before Coco Chanel made the tan popular, even Asian women were using whitening cream to aspire to acquire that ʻperfect porcelainʼ skin, so longed for by everyone, how can black females possibly stand on their own two feet with no black role models?
Joy DeGruy Leary, a mental health therapist and doctoral candidate studying the transgenerational trauma African-Americans suffered because of slavery, states;
“Before you can subjugate or oppress people you must relabel them as subhuman”(Willis, 2007, http://www.jacksonfreepress.com, p.1)
And this was just the beginning of a long battle with identity that I still to this day feel, has not been dealt with, once they had demoralised the slaves, the slave owner started brainwashing them, it is much easier to control someone once they feel inferior, and this was not accidental, it was deliberate, to keep black people ʻin their placeʼ.
Black people did rebel and did wear their hair naturally and have flamboyant hairstyles in a way to assert their humanity in oppressive conditions.
Over time, black women would find ways to try and look after their hair, when the shear amount of slaves you had was no longer good enough and the quality was much more important, owners were reluctant but gave the slaves time for grooming, around the same time Sundays were allowed to be for rest, this proved the perfect catalyst for the motivation to do oneʼs hair, though this was no longer about cherishing your natural hair but rather about trying to obtain STRAIGHT white hair.
Many astonishing methods were used to try and straighten black hair,
Men would slick axle grease over their hair to straighten it, a wax commonly used at the time for wagon wheels whilst women would slather “on butter, bacon fat, or goose grease and then use a butter knife heated in a can over a fire as a crude curling iron”. (Byrd and Tharps, 2001, p17).
“The most mordant device used to straighten the hair was lye, mixed with potatoes to decrease its caustic nature. This creamy concoction was smeared on the hair and the lye would straighten the curls. Unfortunately, it could also eat the skin right off a personʼs head” (Byrd and Tharps, 2001, p17).
This extreme effort to look white, continues on throughout the modern day, which causes concerns in regards to whether black women actually realise that they are imitating and following a two century long effort to look more like the slaveʼs white masters.
Straight hair also translated into economic opportunity and social advantage, because the ʻmulattosʼ would have been more likely to have a free status, due to their ʻwhitenedʼ features, resulting in the possibility of acquiring a job. Mulatto equaled straighter hair.Surprisingly when freed slaves would try to escape, the one feature that would be most telling of blackness would be their hair over their skin colour.
“Jobs, marriage partners, even education were typically predicated on the texture of your hair and the shade of your skin. Therefore life after slavery for many blacks meant continued obsession with straightening the hair and lightening the skin” (Byrd and Tharps, 2001, p23)
Has anything changed?
The 1960s proved to be an enlightenment against the quest for whiteness.The Civil Rights movement brought about a change in attitudes, the speeches of Marcus Garvey and Martin Luther King still resonate now, Tommie Smith and John Carlosʼ 1968 Olympic Black Panther salute caused an uproar in the United States but it worked as an impact and made black people notice that ʻBlack is Beautifulʼ.
Illu. 16.
Illu. 15
Angela Davis, a black political activist, who was associated with the Black Panthers, proudly wore her hair in an afro, it became the fashion, with wigs being sold and worn by whites alike.
From research, numerous reasons could explain the backlash, the lack of products to look after an afro, the time it took to care for it, the invention of a ʻnew and improvedʼ relaxer or the growth of black women in the media and public eye adhering to a white ideal.
Marcus Garvey, a black nationalist, has always acknowledged that racism works by encouraging the devaluation of blackness by black subjects themselves. So by outwardly
Illu. 17a.
showing the desire for white hair by CHEMICALLY relaxing black hair, it is rather encouraging discrimination, and the go‐ahead to prejudice, because if black people themselves are showing the desire for white peopleʼs hair, then why would it be shocking for white people to pick up on this inferiority that has been brought on themselves?%
But my question is why are relaxers still strongly prevalent in black culture?
Which is why I have been out on a quest to find out what the reason could be.
Chapter 2 - Case study
LAYOUT OF THE CASE STUDY VIDEO
Intertwined in between each clip, seconds of me doing my hair. Very short and snappy throughout the whole video.
Highlighted blue- External videos (Secondary research)
Internal pressures - Peopleʼs Opinion
Sylvianne Rano
Clip of Interview from Lee
Chelby interview
Diane Abbot
Film of me in Paris getting lured into hairdressers because I ʻneedʼ straight hair to be beautiful
Clip from “Black Skin”
Male Reaction
Clip of Interview from Lee
Looking at Professionals at Work
Clip from interview with Pamela
Sylvianne Rano
Young Childrenʼs reaction and opinion on having their hair relaxed
Chelby Interview
Relaxers gone wrong
Chelby Interview
Why do women chose to then go natural?
Also include the other video of the hair stylist saying I will not need to relax my hair to get it braided.
Clip from interview with Pamela
Clip from Lee
Interview Sylvianne Rano
Sylvianne Rano
Whilst talking about self-image and pressures, it is often assumed that they come from external sources, such as the media and fashion, but whilst conducting my research, I found that most pressure actually comes from within our inner circles. Long after deciding to go natural and being confident in my choice, I personally found myself taken back to the first time I had a relaxer and not feeling I had much choice, when
my stepmother, not having seen my natural hair after an extensive long period of time, snarled “What are you thinking of doing with your hair then, when should we relax it?”I was stunned and I think my reaction had taken her back. “Iʼm ... Iʼm keeping my hair natural”The response was the same, the same excuse that had been used 13 years prior, “But do you not remember how big your hair was before? How hard it would be to look after?”
I shrugged, for I was willing to go through with that, but what about the countless amount of women who feel they have no choice in their decision?
I understand the peer pressure that can exist within communities, one video on youtube from ʻtoyaboo2ʼ had her distraught because she could not understand why her mother and her friends were so against her ʻgoing naturalʼ, she had enough of CHEMICALLY straightening her hair.%
Another lady on The Tyra Banks show, whoʼs daughter had ʻgone naturalʼ would not introduce her daughter to anyone, BECAUSE of her hair.% %What hurts the most is to see my younger sister of ten, go through such a bad time in regards to her hair, just because it has been relaxed, she has had to endure hair breakage, as well as burns and most importantly, does this already create a sense of self hatred?
VIDEO
I originally had the video in the PDF file but the size exceeded the upload limit of 100MB as my file was over 300MB.
After countless efforts to reduce this size and succeeding as well as contact Ravensbourne I.T services whom referred me to google.
I have uploaded the video on Vimeo and here is the link:
http://vimeo.com/32669178
Chapter 3 - Psychological Effects and Damage to the Hair.
Is there a psychological aspect or is it just vanity?
“Beauty is attainable, often at a significant cost, but at the same time we must also be wary of the entrapments of artifice in order to avoid accusations of vanity” (Ebong, 2001 p. 22).
From the interviews I conducted, it seemed that the majority of black females understand that there is a form of ʻbeautyʼ and ʻcodeʼ to having straightened hair, regardless of whether you are happy and satisfied with your natural hair “we can have whatever hair we like just so long as we remember the long, the straight, the flickable is still the ideal” (Tate. 2009, p. 22).
“Mama fixed our hair” (Ebong, 2001, pg 18). The use of the adjective ʻfixedʼ, as though it is an object that needs to be repaired, changed, altered because it is not ʻworkingʼ properly or not doing what you want it to do rather than what you think it is supposed to do, makes me angry. Black hair is not something that needs to be fixed, it came this way, rather relaxed hair should be the cause of concern, reproachably, it should be fixed, which is ironic as it is fixed into such a way that it cannot be undone. Forever those kinks and curls ʻfixedʼ into a state of fraud.
Interviewing Sylvianne Rano, gave an insight into other cultures of Black heritage, where in some cultures for example Congolese, hair is relaxed from as young as five years old, in the French Caribbean, relaxing your hair would be a sign of maturity and coming of age, it seems therefore harder to remove the relaxing process from society due to the positive connotations to becoming a woman.
“To arrive at that point where oneʼs hair could be straightened was to move from being perceived as a child (whose hair could be neatly combed and braided) to being almost a woman. It was this moment of transition my sisters and I longed for” (Ebong, 2001, page
18)
In America, there were movements like the Rastafarians, who were inspired by Marcus Garveyʼs teachings and focused on natural hair among other factors and whilst Rastafarians will not be my main focus it is important to mention Robyn Rene Sanders the current US Ambassador to Nigeria, for wearing a natural hairstyle in the form of locks, when the first black, first lady is wearing her hair relaxed, it is encouraging to see that there is a role model in a high position that is proudly not conforming to white hairstyles.
What must be remembered is that using a RELAXER, is merely putting a sodium hydroxide paste on your hair, a paste so strong in alkaline that it burns right through a can of coke in four hours and disintegrates it!In the film “Good Hair” by Chris Rock, he goes to speak to professor Barry, who after explaining and showing Chris, the effects, for it can burn a hole through a chickenʼs leg, is stunned to find out that this is put on black hair to straighten it.
Illu.17b.
Illu. 17.
Illu. 18
Illu. 19.
Illu. 20
Isabella Broekhuizen, a model, has seen the damages first hand, surely when a relaxer leaves you permanently bald or with broken hair, it would make women stand up and realise that this is not normal.
Whether people realise it or not they are conforming to a white beauty ideal.What is interesting is that who has good hair and bad hair depends “on who was doing the looking and giving value to oneʼs hair” (Tate, 2009, pg 41) Which goes back to why black females feel the need to relax their hair, a white person would not look at your hair and say you have “Bad” hair, only those closest to you would do, it goes back to internal factors and pressure.One would relax their hair because they have “bad” hair, as decided by their peers.
An episode special of The Tyra Banks Show, dedicated to relaxed and natural hair, saw a mother relaxer her THREE YEAR OLD daughters hair.
Illu. 21.
Illu. 22.
This is how at the age of nine, I came to have my first relaxer, I did not decide that I had “bad” hair, nor at that age, would I have had a clue about what a relaxer could and would do to my hair but that day when I sat in the car and was told that we were going to relax my hair, and was explained what it would entitle. I felt a slight growing feeling of apprehension and excitement. Because I would have wishy washy white hair.
Hair is so important because our self-esteem is wrapped up in it.
Why do black females feel the need to relax their hair?Could it be to feel that they belong in society? To fit in with the crowd and the rest of black society? Is it a fashion statement, in the sense that I can do whatever I wish? Or is it a deep-rooted inferiority issue that stems back to slavery and wanting to look like your captivator?
Illu. 23.
Conclusion
I feel%there is too much stigma on the whole subject of not CHEMICALLY relaxing your hair, almost as if those who decide to have their hair natural either do not care or look after themselves or are either feminist, aggressive and almost black extremist, reminiscent of Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X and the Black Panther movement.
Women with CHEMICALLY relaxed hair on youtube were commenting back, “why should we wear the same hair our grandmothers wore”, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBoBR20n8S4, 2009) others replied claiming that now we have the resources to change our hair texture, why shouldnʼt they.%
"There seemed to be a lot of comments about the acceptance of natural hair and how many of the women get complimented, but it was from their entourage and from other black people that they found they were getting resistance% and negative comments.%
One question I could not stop myself from thinking was, why is it that they feel they HAVE to get away from this texture of hair that reminded them of their slave ancestors?%Slavery was not a willing action; it is not because of slavery that it is normal to wear CHEMICALLY relaxed hair.%
"Black people had natural afro hair before slavery, and I do not understand why the end of slavery should mean the end of natural hair? Surely it is liberating to be able to wear your natural hair, after such a long oppression, to be able to know that this one cultured aspect is left in such a westernised world.%
There seems to be a sense of pride attached to hair, where distinction of an era can be seen from pre-Raphaelitesʼ signature long wavy hair, to the start of the liberation of women with the short 20s bob, will CHEMICALLY relaxedhair be the defining point in the denial of black history?% %One ʻyoutuberʼ said;% % “When you know more about your hair, you know more about yourself” – (Whoknew06, 2009 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PK0sW9nyTo).
"Since doing the research for this dissertation I have come to the conclusion that black females feel the need to relax their hair for varying reasons, from the practicality to vanity that is portrayed in the media, but also because it is engrained in the black culture. Where a rite of passage is connected to this straightening process.During this journey I contemplated changing my views on certain occasions but I still sit on the natural fence.The history factor of my research drew me to ask questions that a lot of people are dismissing as the past; if black people have always aspired to a straighter hair to emulate the slave owners, yet this has not changed, though the reasons may have, how can we say we have moved any further from the past.I have been told that the past is in the past but how can one dismiss the fact that though what happened in the past should stay there, black society has not changed in its goals and aspirations in modern day.As Diane Abbott mentioned “Itʼs horrible, itʼs like things have gone backwards since the 1980s, we need to have a debate about what these things really mean, we need to almost go back to the black is beautiful debate. Because if you donʼt feel good about yourself as a black woman, you donʼt feel good about yourself as a black person.” (Abbott, Authorʼs own video 30/10/11).
Letʼs feel good about ourselves as natural black women like God intended us to be. For Black is Beautiful.
Terminology
Relaxer
A term coined to indicate the process used to chemically straighten Afro hair, it loosens the kinks and curls by breaking the protein bonds (disulfide bonds) inside the hair shaft.A relaxer is very high on the PH Scale, making it range between 9 and 14 on the Alkalie scale, when hair should be around 5.Once this has been broken the smoothing movement of the hair with fingers, moves these bonds in a way to straighten them, it is the neutralisation of the hair with acidic shampoo that ʻsetsʼ the hair. The mixture has progressed a long way from itʼs original formula of lye and potatoes , it now contains Sodium Hydroxide, a substance that can disintegrate a can of coke in four hours!
Zombo Tribe
A tribe living near the border of Angola. Historically known to be linked with the Kongo Kingdom, best known for their music but also worked in the slave trade. The Zombo economy is now based on hunting and farming.
Yuruban Tribe
The tribes homeland is in Southwest Nigeria. Adjoining with parts of Benin and Togo. It is closely related to the Yoruban Religion, whom believe in deities, spirits and ancestor worship.
Fontanel hair
The plates in new born childrens heads are divided into four, helping the birthing process. These plates close later on with the formation of bone. The opening in the skull are seen in some tribes as a ʻweakʼ point where evil spirits may enter, for this reason hair is left to grow and cover this area.
Fulani [Girls]
There is a wide confusion about the nature of Fulani ethnicity as they are wide spread from an area that stretches from Ouadaï, a city east of Lake Chad, to Senegal's Atlantic shore. There are groups of Fulani as far east as the border of Ethiopia.
Wolof [Girls]
A tribe spread over Senegal, Gambia and Mauritania, predominantly of Sufi Muslim religionWolof is strongly linked to Fulani in structure with minor Arabic influence.
Extensions
Synthetic or natural hair that is added to braids or is sewn or glued into either a head that has been cornrowed flat or glued in between hair at the roots. To add length.
This was first seen in Africa, where Extensions would be added to add height to hair styles and length to braids and dreadlocks.
Mulatto
A Mulatto is a light skinned black person who is either mixed race or is lighter in skin tone. Socially in the 19th century, Mulattoʼs would have had a better chance at having a life, rather than live as slavesSome were light enough that they would pass as white, fearing when they may have to reveal to their husbands or wife, that their offsprings will not necessarily be white.Mulattoʼs would often be children of slave owner and slaves, for this reason they would be house-slaves or in lucky instances, be free.Field slaves would often try to emulate the Mulattoʼs which can be a reasoning for the quest to ʻwhiterʼ features, such as straight hair.
Lye
lye [laɪ]n1. (Chemistry / Elements & Compounds) any solution obtained by leaching, such as the caustic solution obtained by leaching wood ash2. (Chemistry / Elements & Compounds) a concentrated solution of sodium hydroxide or
potassium hydroxide
Lye was commonly used and still is to this day in relaxers to chemically straighten Afro hair.
(http://www.thefreedictionary.com/lye) Accessed 23.11.11
Marcus Garvey
Black Nationalist in early 20th Century who believed that Black people should empower themselves through force but also about making an African state. He believed Black people should go back to Africa.Marcus Garvey founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association.Malcolm X was deemed to have been influenced by Marcus Garvey.
Black Panther Party
A movement founded from attempts deemed un-successful of Martin Luther Kingʼs non-violent methods, it was quoted that though Blacks now had rights and could go into a burger joint, they could not AFFORD to buy a burger.It was and African- American revolutionary leftist organisation.Only active for six years between 2966 and 1982.The conflicting contradictory views within the group were to be the end of the Black Panther movement.
Angela Davis
Black Female American socialist, philosopher, political activist and primarily known for being part of the Black Panthers. Her afro was to become her trademark and a sign of recognition for the late Civil Rights movement and stood for Black beauty and change.
ʻGood Hairʼ
Socially referred in the black community when describing straight movable hair that has white characteristics.
ʻBad Hairʼ
The opposite to good hair.Hair that is natural, kinky, curly, messy and does not move.
Dissertation Bibliography
Books
Fanon, F (1952) Black Skin, White Masks, New York, Grove Press
Lori L. Tharps, Ayana D. Byrd, (2) Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair, Saint Martin's Press Inc.; Reprint edition (1 Aug 2002)
Liong-A-Kong, M Going Natural; How to Fall in Love with Nappy Hair [Paperback] Sabi Wiri Inc; 1 edition (28 April 2006)
Davis-Sivasothy, A (2009) Black Beauty: Aesthetics, Stylization and Politics Surrey, Ashgate Publishing Limited
Ebong, A (2001) Black Hair: Art, Style and Culture, New York, Universe
Collins, P% (2000) Black Feminist Thought:%Knowledge, Consciousness, and the Politics of%Empowerment,%Second edition,%New York and London, Routledge% %Owusu, K (2000) Black British Culture and Society, London and New York, Routledge%
Articles
Pool, Hannah. (2011) ʻCornrows? Non-traditional? What rubbishʼ The Guardian. Friday 17 June [Online] Available at http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jun/17/cornrows-black-traditional-hairstyle (Accessed 18th of September)
Willis, Latasha. (2007) “Baltimore Police Department has racially insensitive
apperance policy” Jackson Free Post. January 1 [Online] Available at
http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/comments/
baltimore_police_department_has_racially_insensitive_appearance_policy/
(Accessed 29th of October)
Films
For Colored Girls. (2010) Directed by Perry Tyler. [Motion Picture] Canada, Maple Pictures.
Good hair. (2009), Stilson, Jeff, [Documentary] United States, Chris Rock Entertainment.
Roots, (1977) Chomsky J. Marvin [Tv mini series] United States, American Broadcasting Company (ABC).
The Secret Life of Bees. (2008) Directed by Prince-Bythewood Gina. [Motion Picture] Worldwide, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.
Video
DARK GIRLS, (2011) D. Channsin Berry and Bill Duke, [Documentary] Toronto
International Film Festival, Duke media and urban winter entertainment. Viewed via:http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=24155797&server=vimeo.com&show_title=0&show_byline=0&show_por(Accessed 18th September 2011)
Blogs
Akinnusi, Dami (2011) ʻ Anthony Mackie asks who are we, as Images of Black Women Film Festival provides answerʼ 17 March 2011. Available athttp://www.darkling.tv/blog/2011/03/anthony-mackie-asks-who-we-are-as-images-of-black-women-film-festival-provides-answer/ (Accessed 16th of May 2011)
Moore, Nicole “Shangwe” (2011)ʻMy Nappy Rootsʼ 27 March 2011. Available athttp://www.shawana-lulu.blogspot.com/ (Accessed16th of May 2011)
The Style Blazer (2011) ʻThe Long, The Fake, The “Beautiful”: Why are Black Women Obsessed with Weaves?ʼ 22 June 2011. Available athttp://styleblazer.com/11384/the-long-the-fake-the-beautiful-why-are-black-women-obsessed-with-weaves/ (Accessed 29 of July 2011)
Wiley, J, Arlo (2009) ʻMovie Review: Good Hairʼ 14 November 2009. Available at http://blogcritics.org/video/article/movie-review-good-hair/ (Accessed 18 November 2011)
Websites
Adeleke A. Abraham (2011) Intermediate Yoruba: Language, Culture. Literature, and Religious Beliefs [Online] Place unknown.Available athttp://books.google.co.uk/books?id=DSwJCton8GgC&pg=PR13&dq=Yoruba+Hairstyles:+As+means+of+Social+and+Religious+Significance&hl=en&ei=YX_OTvy4A4m-8gPZw-jgDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Yoruba%20Hairstyles%3A%20As%20means%20of%20Social%20and%20Religious%20Significance&f=false (Accessed 10/11/11)
Avery, Luther (2010) 9 Reasons to avoid perms and relaxers [Online] Place unknown.Available athttp://akorra.com/2010/03/21/9-reasons-to-avoid-perms-and-relaxers/ (Accessed 24/11/11)
International Black heritage Monthhttp://www.internationalblackhairitagemonth.com/#! (Accessed 30/7/2011)
International Black heritage Monthhttp://www.blackeconomicdevelopment.com/international-black-hairitage-launches-month-global-events/ (Accessed 13/10/11)
Smith, Angel (2011) Hair Style Ideas [Online] London. The Natural Lounge a UK Website for Afro Naturals. Available athttp://www.thenaturallounge.com/2011/09/hair-style-idea.html (Accessed 29/9/2011)
Zombo Tribe http://www.zyama.com/zombo/index.htm (Accessed 14/11/11)
YouTube
633390 (28th September 2009) Dr. Joy DeGruy Leary- Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome (1/19) [Online] USAAvailable at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rQjVZX6jzc (Accessed 24/11/11)
Gerrekalenea2010 (2nd may 2011) Weaves versus natural hair part 1 [Online] USAAvailable athttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJ3SkVB_gUk&feature=related (Accessed 11/9/11)
GoddessOfBeauty89 (15th September 2009) my white boyfriend judges my natural hair [online] USAAvailable at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liQlidg0h2I&feature=related (Accessed 25/9/11)
Himay10nence (24th of January 2011) Fuck this natural hair shit!! (part one) [Online] USA.Available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XGq18RKM2w (Accessed 20/06/11)
localnorganic (2nd March 2011) interracial couple talk :Natural Hair [online] USAAvailable at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rsd2oz4gf2U&feature=related (Accessed 11/9/11)
Megami284, (17th of May 2009) What is good hair? - Tyra (Part 3) - The Tyra Banks show, ʻAfrican American Womenʼs hairʼ (Recorded May 12, 2009, WWOR)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBoBR20n8S4 %
Ms Vodou (11th August 2009) Black Manʼs View on Natural Hair [online] USAAvailable at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Z8YCUb4nGo&feature=related (Accessed 24/9/11)
Naptural85 (15 August 2009) My Natural Hair Journey [online] USAAvailable athttp://www.youtube.com/watch?src_vid=PKw3XlopZdM&annotation_id=annotation_225687&v=mVRHv_sRPm8&feature=iv (Accessed 25/9/11)
Napturals85 (20th November 2009) Quick and easy Wash and Gos Pt1 [Online] USAAvailable at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_68982&src_vid=PKw3XlopZdM&v=ZUuVHLf3-w4&feature=iv(Accessed 26/9/11)
OnixIsis (23rd May 2009) African Hair and itʼs significance: Connecting to our Spirit [Online] USAAvailable at http://www.youtube.com/user/OnixIsis#p/u/53/n2_YKVqdVyg (Accessed 26/9/11)
TVInformative (17th March 2011) Episode 5: “What Black men think about Black womenʼs hair” [online] USAAvailable at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g98KupXcy8&feature=related (Accessed 25/9/11)
Whoknew06 (5th December 2009) Re” Natural Hair in a processed World [Online] USAAvailable at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PK0sW9nyTo (Accessed 5/12/10)
Interviews
Abbott, Diane, First black female MP, 30 October 2011, “Hair is not just style”, Diane talks about how hair is not just hair and is also political.
Alaji, Shola, Ravensbourne Student, 16 May 2011, “Why do you relax your hair?” Shola talked about her varying hairstyles and the practicality of it.
Edwards Freddie, Producer/Director, 16 May 2011, “Is there pressure to conform in the black community?”
Fraser, Desiree, Business Growth Training & Consultancy, 30 November 2011, “Is hair a challenge for black”, believes it is more about self-esteem.
Gray, Jermaine. Student/Dj, 16 of May 2011 “What do you think of natural Hair?”
Harris-German, Paulette. 30 October 2011, Her experience and opinion on hair.
Johnson, Chris. Ravensbourne student, 27 June 2011, “Why do you think women relax their hair?” Opinions on his own hair and womenʼs hair.
Akwasi, Ravensbourne student, 23 June 2011, “Are women going back natural?” Touching on menʼs hair.
International Black Hair Month event panel discussion, Angie Le Mar, Margot Rodway-Brown, Regina Kimbell, Paulette Harris-German and Rudi Page, black hair industry insiders, 30 October 2011, After a screening of five short films regarding hair, there was a Question and answers session and a panel discussion.
Nsingi Nkosi, Chelby. Younger sister, 10, August 2011, Casual conversation about relaxers going wrong.
Ngungi, Lee. Ex Ravensbourne Student, 12 October 2011, Her opinion on relaxed hair and why women feel the pressure to conform.
Pamela, lady on the bus, 16th October 2011, Pamela was interviewed on the bus following my compliment regarding her hair.
Rano, Sylvianne, 15th November 2011, “What is your opinion on Black women Relaxing their hair”
Rano, Her three Children, 15th November 2011, “Views on Relaxed hair”
Visual Video Creditation
Duke, Bill and Berry, D.Channsin (2011) The Official Dark Girls Movie Website [Online] USAAvailable at http://officialdarkgirlsmovie.com/about/ (Accessed 11/11/11)
Realityseekers, (23rd June 2009) Malcolm X (film) Part 1 [Online] USA.Available athttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mjd_9cpXIF8 (Accessed 10/11/11)
Souldulbeauty101, (15th August 2010) Malcolm X (No Water) Perm scene [Online] USAAvailable athttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70RbTy6G5qU (Accessed 11/11/11)
All other videos, Authorʼs own.
Progress Map
Wednesday 11th of May
Buy:
The life of bees, DONE AND WATCHEDGood hair, DONE AND WATCHEDandHair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair. DONE AND READThe Souls of Black men DONE AND HALF READ
Friday 13th of May
Look at the Adornement page on facebook, get as many links as possible DONE
Monday 16th of May
Hold two interviews; Jermaine Gray and Freddie Edwards at 13:30 DONE
Look for more interviews and get numbers DONE
Have managed to get permission from
L Reid (Lecturer) Who will also contact his aunt who is part of the Afro/Caribbean Hairdressing committee NO RESPONSELee Ngungi Brown INTERVIEWEDJeremy Ulysses INTERVIEWEDElom Agagah INTERVIEWED Chris Johnson INTERVIEWEDPrince Yiadom INTERVIEWEDAkwasi Poku INTERVIEWED
I will be organising Interview for the 23rd and 24th of May DONE
WATCH The secret life of bees DONE
Tuesday 17th of May
Email all the interviewees, Organising the dayBook a camera from CLR
Email the questions to Stefan Wade (His Management team need to approve) NO LONGER RELEVANT
Thursday 19th of May and Friday 20th of May
Email all the other interviewers, to film before the end of June. This includes all the media personalities like:KOJO, AWAITING RESPONSETyra Banks, TRYING TO GET HOLD OF HERAmy DuBois Barnett, TRYING TO GET HOLD OF HERTheo Kerlin, NO LONGER NEEDEDShawana Lulu, CONTACTEDNorma, AWAITING RESPONSEMargot Rodway-Brown (Salon Director). AWAITING RESPONSE
Sunday 22nd of May
Organise questions for the interview.What do I want to find out?
I will start to organise what days I should interview the media personalities.
Start reading Hair Story if it has been delivered by now.
Tuesday 24th of May and Thursday 26th of May
Interview Students and the public.
Thursday 9th of June
Inteview media personalities, if they are available.
Interviews days include:
Monday 13th of JuneFriday 17th of JuneMonday 20th of juneTuesday 21st of JuneFriday 24th of June
After this date I will need to borrow a camera from someone as CLR will be shut.
Over the summer.
Continue reading and watching videos and going to as many events as possible.I will attend an Afro/Caribbean club to see what people think of Black females hair.
12th October Interview with Lee- Black womenʼs experience of Natural hairEmail course leader at SOAS- Can he get help? - Replied but no help.
From: %Lutz Marten <[email protected]>%Subject: %Re: Dissertation
% Date: %6 October 2011 09:52:42 GMT+01:00
% To: %Emeline Nsingi Nkosi <[email protected]>Dear Emeline
Thanks for your email! I am afraid I can't think of anyone at the moment. It's a great topic, and there are quite a few books in out library which look relevant, but I don't think there is anyone working on it that I know of.
Shame, I will keep it in mind and let you know if I hear of a student project which is related to yours.
With best wishes!
Lutz
13th October
Email Margot, see if I can film on sunday DONE - Email
Go to SOAS to research on the two books; Black Hair: Art, Style and Culture and Black Beauty; Aesthetics, Stylization, Politics. DONE
Notes from SOAS:
Why do Black Females feel the need to Relax (Chemically straighten) their hair?
Notes:
From the book Black Hair, Art, Style and Culture
“I asked my mother why since colored people were the only people on the planet with hair like that, why would they want to straighten it?” - Hilton Alps, Hairstylist
To have just one factor that distinguishes us from the rest of human civilisation and to irreparably change it, to me does not comprehend logic.
Is there a psychological aspect or is it just vanity?
“Beauty is attainable, often at a significant cost, but at the same time we must also be wary of the entrapments of artifice in order to avoid accusations of vanity”
From the interviews I conducted, it seemed that the majority of Black Females understand that there is a form of ʻbeautyʼ and ʻcodeʼ to the having straightened hair, regardless of whether you are happy and satisfied with your natural hair “we can have what ever hair we like just so long as we remember the long, the straight, the flickable is still the ideal” (Tate. p22)
“Mama fixed our hair” (Ebong pg 18) The use of the adjective ʻfixedʼ, as though it is an object that needs to be repaired, changed, altered because it is not ʻworkingʼ properly or not doing what you want it to do rather than what you think it is supposed to do, makes me angry. Black hair is not something that needs to be fixed, it came this way, rather Relaxed hair should be the cause of concern, reproachably, it should be fixed, which is ironic as it is fixed into such a way that it cannot be undone. Forever those kinks and curls ʻfixedʼ into a state of fraud.
“to arrive at that point where oneʼs hair could be straightened was to move from being perceived as a child (whose hair could be neatly combed and braided) to being almost a woman. It was this moment of transition my sisters and I longed for” (page 18)
“During the late 1800ʼs the issue of beauty was discussed predominantly by middle class men and African- American intellectuals championed hair in itʼs natural state as the preferred style. That Began to change at the beginning of the twentieth century as Black Women beauty entrepreneurs began to create alternative representations firmly located within the context of African-American culture and straight hair became the preferred texture to signal middle class status in the mid-1920ʼs” (tate pg 36)
I understand there were movements like the Rastafarians, which were inspired by Marcus Garveyʼs teachings and focused on natural hair among other factors but I will not be focusing on this, and will be looking at America
“When we can see so many different styling options in everyday life, why think about being natural at all?” (Tate pg 40)
Whether people realise it or not they are conforming to a white beauty ideal.What is interesting is that who has good hair and bad hair depends “on who was doing the looking and giving value to oneʼs hair” (Tate pg 41) Which goes back to why Black females feel the need to relax their hair, a white person would not look at your hair and say you have “Bad” hair, only those closest to you would do, it goes back to internal factors and pressure.One would relax their hair because they have “bad” hair, as decided by their peers.
This is how at the age of 9, I came to have my first relaxer, I did not decide that I had “bad” hair, nor at that age, would I have had a clue about what a relaxer could and would do to my hair but that day when I sat in the car and was told that we were going to relax my hair, and was explained what it would entitle. I felt a slight growing feeling of apprehension and excitement. Because I would have wishy washy white hair.
In the evening, taken pictures of words for the contents page,-Definitions.Try out speaking over the top of the film I took in Barcelona. DONE
16th October
Have messaged Sylvianne Rano from IBFI DONE AND AWAITING REPLY
Go to Adornment to have my hair cut - Ask permission to film women talking about hair.
Interviewed a woman (PAMELA) with natural hair on the bus DONE
Get in contact with Regina K - Director and producer of My Nappy Roots DONE - have gone through linkedin, asking Fiona Jenvey to put me in contact.
LinkedInINTRODUCTION: YOU HAVE A NEW MESSAGE
From: Fiona JenveyDate: October 19, 2011Subject RE: Visual DissertationHi Emeline
Whilst I am not directly connected to Regina, I have forwarded your introduction via my network. You may find that using the InMail option on linkedin and sending her a direct message is more likely to receive a response.
Good luck ~Fiona
20 October
To this day, I am awaiting response from Margot Rodway-Brown, Norma,
I am awaiting reply from a student who may be possibly helping me
Dear Lauren,
Can you read the email below. This is a fashion student who is interested in a student helping with her visual dissertation. It would be great if you could email her.
Emeline Nsingi Nkosi <[email protected]>
I was thinking of you because of your interest in fashion.
Kind Regards,
Caroline Orme
---------- Forwarded message ----------From: Emeline Nsingi Nkosi <[email protected]>Date: 12 October 2011 07:54Subject: Visual Dissertation helpTo: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
I was wandering if you would be able to help?
(I had sent this email at the weekend, but I don't believe it arrived)
On 9 October 2011 13:06, Emeline Nsingi Nkosi <[email protected]> wrote:Hello Caroline,
I am a third year doing a visual dissertation and will be needing post-production help.
A student, Chris Johnson has offered to help.
Speaking with Jeremy and Liz in the summer, I believe it may be possible for the work to possibly go towards some credits?
How could I go about doing this?
Thank you very much for your time and I look forward to your reply
Emeline Nsingi NkosiThird Year Fashion Textiles
30th October The Black Hair Films Series, Debate & workshop - Showing of My nappy roots amongst other films
I have received a reply from Lauren who said she will be able to help.
30th October
Attended: The Black Hair Films Series and Debate. Filmed the Panel discussion with Angie Le Mar, Margot Rodway-Brown, Regina Kimbell, Paulette Harris-German and Rudi Page, black hair industry insiders. Interviewed a young gentleman who wished to remain as the annonymous man. Interviews Desiree Fraser, Diane Abbott and Paulette Harris German.
Spoke to Regina Kimbell, who said she would message me.
I replied back, but she has never replied back.
15th November
Interviewed Sylvianne Rano, who was fascinating and her children seemed to know where they stood, which was interesting at such a young age.
16th November
This was sent to Lauren to extract videos from.
VIDEOS OF EXAMPLES OF RELAXER (VIDEO)
Video of Malcolm X getting his Hair relaxed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mjd_9cpXIF8
At 05”23 - 05”43 ends got to make it straight.
Then at 05”52 - 06”05
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70RbTy6G5qU :)
0”08 - 0”16 After Iʼm almost finished
CHILDRENʼS ATTITUDE ... (DEF SHOW VIDEO) :)
http://officialdarkgirlsmovie.com/
02”44 “ Show me the good looking child .... TO 02”52 Until she points and says “because she light skinned”
SLAVERY (VOICE ONLY)
04”32 Of course it started with slavery... but I think we kept the vicious cycle goingTO04”36 before the guy comes on
GOOD HAIR VS BAD HAIR (VOICE Over the picture of the magazine cutting already in video) :)
06”22/23 - 06”26 “She got that good hair too.”
WITHIN THE COMMUNITY (VOICE)
06”44 “ I wanted to wear a FRO might be too much to take the video also?TO 05”52 “exactly what it looks like”
RACISM WITHIN THE COMMUNITY (VOICE ONLY possibly the picture of the field slaves) :)
07” 54 “ The racism TO08”07 vs the field n...
SOMEONEʼs REACTION TO NATURAL HAIR (VIDEO) :)
07”00 “It doesnʼt look clean” TO 07”11
This was not done.
20th November
Go to a hair salon and see how women feel about relaxing their hair. - DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO DO THIS
22nd NovemberResearch hair damage by relaxers.
“If you think using no lye relaxers are less damaging than those containing lye, think again. There are two basic types of chemical hair relaxers – Sodium Hydroxide (relaxers containing lye) and Guanidine Hydroxide (relaxers containing no lye). The manufacturers of these products want you to believe that no-lye relaxers will not damage your hair. This is simply not true.
The truth is those stunning pictures you see on the relaxer kits of black women with silky smooth hair are usually individuals who already have a good grade of hair. Donʼt be fooled into thinking a mere $10 for a home relaxer kit will give you the same look; it is not that simple. There is only one full proof method to avoid hair breakage from chemical relaxers and that is to avoid them. Relaxers permanently alter the natural pH balance and chemical breakdown of your hair. This process weakens each strand of hair. Hair breakage and scalp irritation are common side effects from relaxing or perming your hair and is not a solution for hair that is damaged despite what you may have heard.”
(http://akorra.com/2010/03/21/9-reasons-to-avoid-perms-and-relaxers/) (Accessed 22/11/11)
22 NovemberFound a video on youtube named the post slavery trauma syndrome by Dr. Joy DeGruy Leary, not sure it fits into the overall feel of the dissertation, but very interesting. - Psychological side of the argument.
My Visual Dissertation was elaborated from the inspiration of an earlier work of mine; My Maneifesto, written at the end of 2010.
My Mane’ifesto. I never seemed to care about what I ate, what I drank or let alone what I put on my head, for my hair was just that, on my head. Nothing more, nothing less. The generation of “you are what you eat” never appealed to me, mum cooked, I played. That is, until I came to uni, ate myself 2 sizes bigger, got acne and felt out of my skin. Enough. Enough was enough. The process started with food monitoring, eating less crap, less junk, less sugar. I became a food Nazi. It turned into no sugar, no preservatives. NO CHEMICALS. I had a newfound motto from James Guigan’s book-‐ The Clean and Lean Diet “If it couldn’t swim, fly or run or it didn’t drop off the land-‐ DON’T EAT IT” Everything was for re-‐evaluation, my lifestyle, attitudes, to anything I put in my mouth, to what I put ON my body, because after all, the skin is the biggest organ, so why would I put chemicals into my body via my skin? I very rapidly moved onto Organic food and produce. Consuming less but better quality seemed a good way to go. One subject crept up and kept coming back, I would just push it aside in my thoughts, but I couldn’t ignore it, I was surely going onto an Organic, No CHEMICALS new lease of life, but how could I ignore my RELAXED hair My CHEMICALLY relaxed hair.
Hair was suddenly an aspect to consider. Why did I even feel the need to put CHEMICALS on my head? I’d felt above society for not caring about my hair, deemed myself “un-‐shallow” but was I unknowingly worshipping the god of CHEMICALS? Hair is an important aspect of a person’s psyche and their being. It is a part of who they are. Hair is often associated with a belonging and social group, era or even demographical location, without sounding too presumptuous or assuming the obvious, but an example can be seen in America circa ’69, Woodstock, long shaggy hair, un-‐tamed, yet cool, hip, and “off the radar”. A person could be classified by their hair. Another example I’ve found interesting, whilst doing research, is how during the slave trade, black people were classified and ordered into a hierarchy of human worth, in which one’s socio-‐economic position could be signified by one’s skin colour, the ‘whiter’ looking slaves would be favoured and envied, known to be mixed with the master, they would be closer to him, therefore beneficing an education, food, wealth and more likely to be freed when the master would pass away. I decided to go natural not long after my last relaxer. JUNE 28th 2010. I started looking for videos on youtube about non-‐CHEMICAL hair styles and how to best look after my hair (I had CHEMICALS put on my hair from the age of 8/9) I soon found myself swamped with not only tutorials, but opinions, open criticism of this new ‘movement’ and started wandering if I had caught onto something I didn’t realise even existed, women on the Tyra Banks show sharing stories about natural hair and
CHEMICALLY treated hair, how there seems to be ‘good hair’ and ‘bad hair’. Mothers CHEMICALLY straightening their THREE-‐year-‐old daughters hair! A young girl loved wearing her Hannah Montana, blonde straight hair wig, because, ”it’s cool”, and she feels “sad” when she doesn’t have her Hannah Montana wig on, when asked whether she wanted to wear it because she liked Hannah Montana or because she didn’t like her hair, her reply was “because I don’t like my hair, always”
What really worried me is the fact that Micheal Jackson’s hair had caught on fire BECAUSE of the CHEMICALS. Does that not worry anyone? So how did I belong with CHEMICALS in my hair? Who was imitating and whom was I following? As well as the damage the CHEMICALS bring onto not only the scalp, hair but also self-‐worth, I started to dwell more onto the topic of why black people want straight Caucasian hair? CHEMICALLY straightening one’s hair is an active expression of westernising yourself but where does the line draw between trying to fit in and denying your self? If hair is a “medium for expressing the aspirations of black people historically excluded from access to official social and institutions of representation”, then why would you want to express white hair? Surely it’s more important to stand for what God gave you and be proud? Or do you aspire to be white? Marcus Garvey, a black nationalist, has always acknowledged that racism works by encouraging the devaluation of blackness by black subjects themselves. So by outwardly showing the desire for white hair by CHEMICALLY relaxing black hair, it is rather encouraging discrimination, and the go-‐ahead to prejudice, because if black people themselves are showing the desire for white people’s hair, then why would it be shocking for white people to pick up on this inferiority that has been brought on themselves? This is where I realised that it goes much deeper than just HAIR. Hair is a sign of wealth, health and social-‐standing as well as geographical location. I understand the peer pressure that can exist within communities, one video on youtube from ‘toyaboo2’ had her distraught because she couldn’t understand why her mother and
her friends were so against her ‘going natural’, she had enough of CHEMICALLY straightening her hair.
Another lady on The Tyra Banks show, who’s daughter had ‘gone natural’ would not introduce her daughter to anyone, BECAUSE of her hair. I feel there is too much stigma on the whole subject of not CHEMICALLY relaxing your hair, almost as if those who decide to have their hair natural either don’t care or look after themselves or are either feminist, aggressive and almost black extremist, reminiscent of Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X and the Black Panther movement. Women have a vision of straight Afro-‐American women in music video’s, I found whilst asking individuals that there were clear ideas of what epitomised straight, long hair on a black women-‐ Beauty. Natural hair on a black women? “Africa” was a reply, “messy” was another, and even “ugly” came from another; another individual even said it looks more conditioned when it’s straight, but what about the pain? The burn when the CHEMICAL relaxer is left a second too long? The maintenance? The breaking and on some women the disasters that can occur? And I feel the most important; the fact it looks un-‐natural? Women with CHEMICALLY relaxed hair on youtube were commenting back, “why should we wear the same hair our grandmothers wore”, others replied claiming that now we
have the resources to change our hair texture, why shouldn’t they. There seemed to be a lot of comments about the acceptance of natural hair and how many of the women get complimented, but it was from their entourage and from other black people that they found they were getting resistance and negative comments. One question I couldn’t stop myself from thinking was, why is it that they feel they HAVE to get away from this texture of hair that reminded them of their slave ancestors? Slavery was not a willing action; it’s not because of slavery that it’s normal to wear CHEMICALLY relaxed hair. Black people had natural Afro hair before slavery, and I don’t understand why the end of slavery should mean the end of natural hair? Surely it’s liberating to be able to wear your natural hair, to be able to know that this one cultured aspect left in such a westernised world? I feel that if the women with CHEMICALLY relaxed hair say that it’s their Afro hair that reminds them of slavery, then surely they will start to move onto the colour of their skin and maybe even facial features? There seems to be a sense of pride attached to hair, where distinction of era can be seen from pre-‐Raphaelites signature long wavy hair, to the start of the liberation of women with the short 20’s bob, will CHEMICALLY relaxed hair be the defining point in denial of black history? I feel that women should be proud to adorn their natural hair, people may deem it hard to look after but all it needs is a little of time to learn what works for your own hair, one ‘youtuber’ said; “When you know more about your hair, you know more about yourself” – Whoknew06 I feel he’s right because it’s amazing to find out that not everyone’s hair needs the same maintenance of products, unlike relaxed hair which has the same CHEMICALS applied to
everyone, therefore you know which products will generically work for you, but isn’t it beautiful to know that your hair is DIFFERENT to anyone else’s, to learn that it’s almost like a child who depends on it’s mother? The intimate relationship you can hold with your hair, people can advice you on what could work, just like a friend can advice a new mother on what may work, but when it matters the most, you know what works best, and caring for your hair almost becomes second nature, your hair will tell you when it needs moisture, when it feels it needs to be watered, you just have to be willing to let go of the stereotypes and take that step to going natural. Being natural means: No more CHEMICALS. No more CHEMICAL relaxers. Letting your hair grow out or if you brave it, do a BC (Big Chop). Being proud of your hair texture. Caring for your hair as you would your health. Moisturise. Finding what works best for you. Breaking stereotypes. Enjoying life and what God gave you. A Hair Manifesto by Emeline Nsingi Nkosi
Bibliography Books Collins, P (2000) Black Feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness, and the Politics of Empowerment, Second edition, New York and London, Routledge Owusu, K (2000) Black British Culture and Society, London and New York, Routledge Websites http://www.youtube.com; Videos from youtube; Megami284, (17th of May 2009) What is good hair? - Tyra (Part 3) -The Tyra Banks Show ''African American women's hair' (Recorded May 12, 2009, WWOR) Available: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBoBR20n8S4 msnaturallynatural, (5th of December 2009) Natural Hair: Negative Comment About Natural Hair Available: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH5Bsh8Dqy8 Dunte86 (5th of December 2009) Natural Hair in a Processed World. Available: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyitHNb67ig whoknew06 (5th of December 2009) Re: Natural Hair in a Processed World Available: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PK0sW9nyTo Kinkycurlycoil (31st December 2009) Stages of
Natural Hair
Available:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bROjpcwSRQE
Toyaboo2 (5th of May 2010) I'm Going Natural...but why so much NEGATIVITY?
Available:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HwkVu16WC4
Blacktreemedia, (5th of October 2009) Raven Symone, talks Good Hair....
Available:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm_fShG8ua8 http://nappturality.com/ Pictures Kinkycurlycoil (31st December 2009) Stages of Natural Hair
Available:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bROjpcwSRQE Megami284, (17th of May 2009) What is good hair? - Tyra (Part 3) -The Tyra Banks Show ''African American women's hair' (Recorded May 12, 2009, WWOR) Available:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBoBR20n8S4 Toyaboo2 (5th of May 2010) I'm Going Natural...but why so much NEGATIVITY?
Available:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HwkVu16WC4 Interviews Ahmed, T – What do you think of natural hair? 7th of December 2010, London, Blackberry Messenger. Elom, M – What do you think of Natural Hair? 7th Of December 2010, London, Skype. Jean-‐ Francois, L – What do you think of Natural hair? 8th of December, London and Swindon, Via Text.