Black women’s hair

Hi lovelies, I see that this post about hairpieces on children has

 led many people to react, think, reflect and engage in the topic.

In the documentary, Good Hair, produced by Chris Rock, Maya Angelou says, 

"Hair is a woman's glory." Glory, self-worth, social acceptance and beauty are 

all tangled up in every woman's hair. Why is good hair so important for women?

History could have something to do with it. Even as far back as ancient Egypt,

 a woman's hairstyle indicated her age, status, role in society and political importance.

 Egyptians wore wigs made from human hair, adorned hair with gold beads, styled

 it with curling irons and covered gray with henna.

Today the media and celebrities define what's beautiful and acceptable in hair.

 You know much of what you see on TV and in magazines is not real or not

 realistic for the average person, but you still want the look. And no matter what race 

or nationality you are, there's usually something about your hair you don't like.

It is not the first time I react strongly to this about hairpieces on kids, hair on myself or 

afro hair in general. But it´s my first time to do it openly like this. For us, black hair is a big 

deal. And we spend enormous amounts of time, energy and money on our hair and I think 

Maya Angelou put  it out well "It's women's glory". It´s important to remember in this 

discussion about the afro hair that it´s a great differences in African countries so as in people to. 

 In many African countries people are often divided into different tribes.  My country Kenya for 

example is represented by 43 different tribes and all with their own traditions, language, culture, 

and we are all having a different kind of texture in our afro hair.

A lot of people have writing extensively on this issue. I’ve read a lot of comments

 stating how horrible afro hair is and some even compares it with torture to not braid 

their children’s hair, regardless of age. I mean come on people!! First of all, pain is 

very individual. And yes, I have gone through that "pain" and only people with afro

 hair can imagine that feeling.

But I cannot say it was a torture. As a child, I remember my mama doing everything 

that she could to release some of the “pain” for me, as she combed or braided my hair. 

She moisturized, used different kind of of oils, did some small balls and corn rows. As a 

child my mother was always anxious to not put on hairpieces on our head even though my 

sister and I cried head over heels for the long hair that all our friends had.

 Ooh how we wanted it! I got my first rastas by the age of seven, very simple one. 

And i got my first relaxer at the age of thirteen, and how I wish my mama never put that 

thing on my head well, well. I had very thick and long hair before I started using relaxer,

 so that thing people are stating everywhere; that Afro hair does not grow is totally bullshit!

I am fully aware of that having an all-natural afro hair it´s not an easy journey, it can hurt 

and that there are some parents putting on hairpieces on kids that are obviously too young 

for it. But I think it´s totally wrong to braid any kind of advanced hair style on such a young 

kid as 3 year old. Why are we encouraging our black babies to have hair extensions when there

 are other options appropriate to kids? Maybe a lot of it it´s to blame black parents who doesn’t take 

their time to learn how to handle their kid’s afro hair, and mostly teach their kids to love their hair

 as it is. Are the parent’s simply just too lazy, too afraid on denying their kids yearning of that look 

of a blond Barbie or are we perhaps more afraid of looking to abnormal in the white society?

Many people have also been stating and writing to me about that black American kids are using 

hairpieces, as it would be okay just because they are doing it. We’ll let me put it this way; I think

 it’s more reasonable why they do it because thereis a history behind it. I guess they´ve had it tougher

 than us who are not affected by the slavery in the same way, but I really don’t think it should be used 

as an excuse anymore.  And why should we continue to pass on this dreadful story to our kids.

I mean honestly, what's the excuses for every black mama out there from an African country 

with a true knowledge of treating the kid’s hair not letting their kids to be proud of what they were

 born with. And why are they using all that fake hair on their babies Why not do it the real way. 

The same way the Afro-American were robbed of.

The one reason afro hair seems so difficult, it´s only because we are trying to get it into

 something it´s not; an ideal of the “white women". Our hair is not supposed to be straight,

 it´s not to supposed to bounce and look silky. No wonder the hair suffers while

 we trying to fake it.

I love all the feedback that i´ve received from you. Feel free to look out

What other bloggers have stated and commented about my point of view, check 

out Ladydahmer and Fatou which I think are both very constructive in their opinions, 

even though my opinion differs with Fatou. (Sorry it´s not in English but use goggle translate.

Lovely day to you.