So for many years I have been contemplating writing something in regards to this. Years ago India Irie chopped off her lox into a baldheaded love breakup intervention then writes this song “I Am Not My Hair!” suddenly this hair cutting movement blew in like the burning bra era. Women started cutting their hair chanting I am not my hair. Then there’s me, I really didn’t care too much for the song, I thought it was stupid. My thoughts were you dummy, you are your hair. But then I had to pull myself back. By any means this is not a write up to disrespect India Irie, she is a phenomenal artist. I had to understand, SHE wrote this song for personal reasons. And my views and opinions are just that! I believe the point of her song was to say, “Her hair doesn’t define her!” She is who she is with or without it. And the problem is social media made a big deal about it. So she set them straight, as she should have. Then I asked myself: Am I my hair? And the answer is YES! Since I have had natural hair, I have become a different and better me. Cutting my perm out gave me a liberation I can’t explain. I remember wanting lox when I was 14yrs old, but was afraid people would think I was more unattractive than I felt. People would laugh at me and tease me. I was starting a school with kids who upheld fashion and keeping their nails and hair done was a must. Not to mention, just to further jack-up my self esteem, my first love told me “the ONLY female that looks good with dreds is Lauryn Hill and that’s only because she already looked good. You wouldn’t look good, end of story.” So I didn’t get the nerve to cut my hair until 1999, I was 22. I locked my hair 6months later.
Here I am 12years later and my loxs are a part of me. I can’t tolerate scissors near my head. When I hear the same person talk about how I should cut my hair or make jokes about cutting my hair, I get an instant attitude and in some cases angry. In my opinion I have every right too. Why in the world should anyone care why I choose to keep my hair long? Before it used to be an issue with my nails, it was assumed that because my nails were long, they were fake. I have always had long nails and my mother can attest to the weekly clippings I went through as a child. As a side note: I still run into people who think my hair’s fake.
Personality is not only a makeup of who a person is, but how that person presents themselves in front of others, how that person dresses, talks, is a reflection of that personality. People see me and they know something is different about me. My name is unique; I can’t find it on any key chains. I have a natural switch in my hips when I walk or maybe it’s how my SOOUULLLL GLOOOOWS! LOL. Whatever the case, my hair is a part of my “Me Swag!”
Now to address the “that chick is trippin’, it’s just hair” sayers, let me have you view it on another spectrum:
For the women who were told they have breast cancer and have to lose their breast in hopes of ridding the cancer, for those same women that sacrificed part of their womanhood in the name of life, but later became depressed because now….they live with no breast….is it JUST a breast??
For the soldier that came back from war as an amputee, having had that limb for the majority of his/her life but later became depressed because now….they have to relearn to walk or write…or just getting used to not having that limb there……is it JUST a limb?
To even argue against both of these cases by saying, “But they have their life” is a DISHONOR! That soldier has had his/her limb for years, and to not have them anymore is an adjustment, a major adjustment. They won’t walk ever again or hold a baby or hug a loved one or hell, wipe their own tail after going to the bathroom; it’s a major life altering adjustment. For women not having that breast they have always had is an adjustment. Breasts define women. It’s one of those things you can’t wait to get as a girl when going through puberty. When you have a baby, we are responsible for nourishing that baby. Sure formula exists NOW, but it always didn’t. Besides who are we kidding with the right bra and shirt, those racks perk up just right!! But they’re gone!! Let me once again address those ignorant groups of people: FAKE ARMS FAKE LEGS FAKE BREAST…NOT THE SAME!
Back to hair! I want to share a few passages with the readers:
Numbers 6:5 “During the entire period of their Nazirite vow, no razor may be used on their head. They must be holy until the period of their dedication to the LORD is over; they must let their hair grow long.”
Judges 16:17 (Samson speaks to Delilah) “So he told her everything. “No razor has ever been used on my head,” he said, “because I have been a Nazirite dedicated to God from my mother’s womb. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.”
Kabbalah (Zohar, Naso, Idra Rabba 129a) "...from the hair of a person you can know who he is." (S/N: ." Jewish mysticism considers that hair contains profound energy. The Zohar, one of the ancient Kabbalistic texts, sees every strand of hair as "harboring entire universes”
Kebra Negast (the Book of the Glory of King [Ethiopia]s: detailed King James version) Mpst Rastafarians get their teachings from this Holy Scripture in which they follow Leviticus 21:5 “Priests must not shave their heads or shave off the edges of their beards or cut their bodies.”
Hindu-Sadhu/Jatta (Locks) - The Keshin Hymn, Rig-veda 10. 136 “The long-haired one endures fire, the long-haired one endures poison, the long-haired one endures both worlds. Immortality (or eternal life) is the concept of living in physical or spiritual form for an Infinite length of Time. Fire is the heat and light energy released during a Chemical reaction, in particular a combustion reaction. The long-haired one is said to gaze full on heaven, the long-haired one is said to be that light . . . Of us, you mortals, only our bodies do you behold. . . . For him has the Lord of life churned and pounded the unbendable, when the long-haired one, in Rudra’s company, drank from the poison cup”
In different cultures, faiths/ religions, etc., value hair for different reasons; most being spiritual. Now don’t get me wrong, there are other entities out there that have to shave their heads bald: shout out to the Monks!!
Recap:
If people are true to themselves, then I would believe how they carry themselves is a reflection of self. I have one girlfriend who grows her hair out every couple of months. I’m talking serious hang time too. Then next thing you know she is bald! *Side eye at Ms. Shazzam* People would kill if their hair could grow like that! My other home girl, who can actually do hair, looks like a different person every week. From wigs to curly to straight to weave. “I just love hair. Whether it’s, mine or bought!” Ms. Dida, gotta love her for being HER! I have plenty of friends who spend hours in the salon every week or in their homes doing hair. Shout out to them, whether short or long permed or nappy, in the end you do it ( I hope so anyway) because it’s who YOU are and not what your trying to be. I love my hair. For me my hair taught me patience. I have learned to slow down and breathe. Funny I don’t think about my hair much, I don’t fiddle with it much and MANY times I forget how long it is. But it’s mine. Its apart of me. I will continue to grow it as long as I-and-I chooses too. And I will cut my hair if and when I AM ready and not a minute sooner.
(This is not a dis blog to anyone or as stated before no disrespect to Ms. India Irie, this is just me doing what I love to do: Write Release Converse and Uplift.)
Love and Light,
PoEs!s
