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 <lm5@soas.ac.uk>%Subject: %Re: Dissertation

% Date: %6 October 2011 09:52:42 GMT+01:00

% To: %Emeline Nsingi Nkosi <emelinenn@hotmail.com>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 <emelinenn@hotmail.com>

I was thinking of you because of your interest in fashion.

Kind Regards,

Caroline Orme

---------- Forwarded message ----------From: Emeline Nsingi Nkosi <emelinenn@hotmail.com>Date: 12 October 2011 07:54Subject: Visual Dissertation helpTo: c.orme@rave.ac.uk, caroline.orme@rave.ac.uk, g.loften@rave.ac.uk, greg.loften@rave.ac.uk, r.hughes@rave.ac.uk, richard.hughes@rave.ac.uk

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 <e.nkosi@students.rave.ac.uk> 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.