03 Dec 2011
07:00:00

I am not my weave!

Weaves, extensions, wigs, and other follicular fakery – these are the unbeweaveable lengths that women are willing to go through to obtain long hair...

It’s what’s inside, not on top

We certainly know that what's inside a woman's head matters more than what sprouts from or is synthetically attached to it. However, a common assumption in today’s culture is that the straighter and longer the hair, the more respectable the woman, and those wearing their hair naturally are seen as unkempt or unprofessional.

But it’s JUST hair!

Does a weave make a woman sexier? The jury is still out on that one. Last year the streets were flooded with Rihanna, Beyoncé and Keri Hilson look-alikes.

But we still have people like my best friend who, in true nonconformity, decided to shave her whole head of thick, healthy, ethnic hair! Upon my cries of disbelief she simply responded: “It’s JUST hair – it has a tendency of growing back, and besides, I feel gorgeous, with or without it.” 

“Daddy, how come I don’t have good hair?”

This was a question posed by Chris Rock’s five-year-old daughter, Lola, which inspired the creation of the documentary entitled Good Hair in which he investigates the 9-billion-dollar hair industry.

In the documentary, Rock aims to understand why black women go through what sometimes appears to be ridiculous measures when it comes to maintaining their hair. Rock is quoted as saying, “I knew women wanted to be beautiful, but I didn’t know the lengths they would go to, the time they would spend – and not complain about it.”

The most desirable locks come from far and wide

With endorsements from local celebs such as Bonang Matheba and Khanyi Mbau, weaves or “bonding” has gained popularity amongst all social groups. For the few with deep pockets, micro-bonding (which is the equivalent of extensions for Caucasian women) can be done for as much as R8 000. But for the rest of us women on a tight budget, a simple packet of what is commonly known as “human hair” will suffice. 

Much of this hair is obtained through a tonsuring ceremony performed at the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in India. Over 10 million people shave their heads because they believe that hair encourages vanity. They thus give it up as a sacrifice to the Hindu gods. What can only be seen as an ironic twist of fate: the hair is then collected from the temple and sold around the world to make hair pieces.

“There is nothing more beautiful than an all natural woman”

Women generally like long hair. We like to wear it and toss it about and (according to the conclusive evidence obtained from Hollywood romance comedies) men like to look at it and run their fingers through it.

However, any sane man knows he can't run his fingers through a black woman's hair. Weaves ultimately make a black woman’s head a NO-GO-ZONE for all hands and an archenemy to male partners, rain, swimming and any other ungodly activity. Generally, men claim that they like their women all natural.

“You can buy your hair if it won’t grow”

We can colour our hair or just lengthen it with weaves or wigs. We have the absolute luxury of being able to change what we look like at any given time - budget willing, of course. Though there are some women who prefer to keep the world of hair extensions a secret, even the most inattentive co-workers would notice if Cindy had short brown hair on Tuesday but suddenly arrived with long flowing golden locks on Wednesday. 

To weave or not to weave?

At best, “short today, long tomorrow” hairstyles offer flexibility. And at their worst, the expensive, time-consuming and sometimes painful trends send out the message that R500 and six hours in a salon is what you need in order to feel beautiful.

Accepting that attaching Indian, Brazilian or synthetic hair to your head does not define your true beauty is the mark of a confident woman; no matter what length her hair is. At the end of the day, it’s all relative to what makes you feel good.