Dreadlocks and Cultural Appropriation
After much time, meditation and deliberation, I have come to the conclusion that dreadlocks are not solely an African thing. They are not solely a Jamaican revolution thing. They are not solely a Tibetan monk thing. And they are not solely a high-cost, high-maintenance, hand-woven, salon-kept fashion statement.
Yes, they are those things for some people...and there is nothing wrong with any of that if that is the path you choose... but they can also be so much more. For some of us, locked hair is a spiritual journey that teaches us how to break out of conformity. It teach us how to accept ourselves as we truly are in our primal nature, as opposed to how the media and "world at large" tells us that we *should be*. Locked hair, particularly when formed by the neglect method, teaches us to embrace our true selves, our wild side and our authentic inner nature. It frees us from tons of mainstream "product" and chemicals, bringing us to a purer version of ourselves.
You may not get it.. and that's OK. Don't kid yourself tho'. This is not an easy journey, especially because we are met with so much opposition and so much misrepresentation when we choose to walk this path. It is an inner journey that ultimately brings us to our true selves.
"White dreads" are not about “cultural appropriation”. I am firmly convicted of this. Locked hair was prevalent in ancient Assyria, India, North America, South America and even in the shamanic cultures of Siberia. In fact, before the invention of brushes and combs, everyone had matted or locked hair. Do your research. Open your mind. Allow for the integration of spirituality in all walks of life. No one "owns" a hair style. Spiritual paths belong to no single culture. Free your mind and embrace the Unity of our global brother and sisterhood.
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I want to say here that in no way, shape or form, did I ever intend this post to be angry, antagonistic or offensive. I am not a racist person and I don't need to call people out on anything that others think, say or do. Neither will I lump ALL people of any given color / race / nationality in to one group. That is not fair to any one. I am only dealing with what was said to ME directly.
I had at least 2 people tell me that they feel that white people wearing locked hair is "cultural appropriation". One of these people is of mixed heritage and has been a dear friend to me for many years, tho in more recent years, race issues have caused divisions. She felt that it was important for me to understand that black people are uncomfortable when white people take from them what they worked so hard to attain as their own.
I gave this serious consideration and was open to what she had to say but now I am drawing my own conclusions, as is appropriate. I can understand and respect how others feel but I am more of a Unitarian/ global/ open kind of person & I believe that we ALL wear our hair in our own unique way. How I wear my locks has nothing to do with how any one else wears theirs. I believe that the lighting of one candle does not diminish the flame of the other. I believe that we can all be our own unique, individual person without taking any thing away from any one else. Period. It's all about the intention and I intend no harm.
The other person to accuse me of "cultural appropriation" is my own flesh and blood and shares my blood line. I am of mixed heritage. I am Cherokee, Choctaw and Italian (with ancestors from both mainland Italy and Sicily). And yet, when I went to a dermatologist / skin specialist, his "expert opinion" was that my skin tone is likely inherited from Northern Europe because (in his words) "Vikings invaded Italy too". It is well known that Vikings explored North America and that the "white Indian" tribes are interbred with Norsemen. So there you go.
I am not from any single culture and don't try to own any one way or path. I have an eclectic appreciation (and a genuine love) for a wide variety of peoples. I did a lot of research on locked hair before I opted to wear my hair this way because I wanted to know what the significance was, what the spiritual and cultural implications would be, before I started. And here is what I found (if you are still with me then you probably actually give a damn about what I am saying here so I will give you the full story).
Mystics of all cultures understand that hair is an extension of the body. Specifically at the crown of the head, the hair that grows there is an extension of the spinal column. With long hair, comes increased spiritual energy and power. This is true whether you are African, Jamaican (who are a mixed people and not truly African), Chinese, Native American, Vedic, Jewish or Scandinavian. Hair is power. “It is known.”
And, spirals are known to hold and channel energy. Therefore, long, spiraled hair increases the channeled spiritual energy in to and out of the body. This is a spiritual consideration for me because I am a high end Empath. This has impact on my life and is relevant.
What I said earlier about the journey in to the Self is also true. When you look in to a mirror and you see your own reflection staring back at you, the locked hair becomes about YOU... not about someone else’s culture. I must learn to accept myself as I am. I must learn to not pass judgment on my SELF... which is admittedly harder to do when people are casting their derision and negativity all about the place... but this is what makes it an inner spiritual journey and it is perhaps exactly that, that has helped me rise above and become all the stronger as an individual.
I will not change who I am for someone else. I will not spew judgment at others just because they direct theirs' at me. I will not back down. I will not go quietly. I will not go gentle in to that good night. If you love me for who I am, then my hair style should not matter to you. If you love me for way that I treat others, for the way that I care and for the way that give... then why in hell would the style, color or length of my hair make any difference to you? And if you don't love me or even know me, then why should your opinion even matter to me? Enough said and I am putting this issue to rest.