On Wednesday, Aug. 29, the men of the Georgia Southern chapter of Collegiate 100 hosted the first ever “Durag Fest” on the GSU campus. The event had awesome music, good food, and a whole lot of dancing. After seeing the success of the event and the positive responses from it, I was inspired to do a little bit of research about the haircare item, that we call the durag.
What the heck is it?
The purpose of a durag is two-fold:
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To help black men (and sometimes women) get waves so wavy you’ll want to swim in them.
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Serve as a fashion statement
Where did it come from?
At the time of its conception, the durag served a simple purpose: to tie back the the hair of the person wearing it, so that he or she could get work done. From the beginning, it served a simple, and practical purpose. It’s amazing to see how something that began as a functional tool has become so much more than that.
What the durag means today:
According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the durag is “a close-fitting, typically stretchable piece of cloth that is worn on the head (as to hold a hairstyle in place) and that usually has long ends which are tied in the back”, but if you know anything about black culture, you know that it’s so much more than that. Durags aren’t just a functional haircare item, they’re symbols of a shared experience for black people. When I see someone in a durag, whether they’re male, female, or anywhere in between, I see someone I can relate to. I see someone who is unafraid to show off who they are. Someone who is unapologetically black. The durag, especially in a place like a PWI is a sign of strength, and resilience, it’s a badge of honor.
Having a durag fest at a predominately white institution says so much. It says that black people can exist in white environments without having to sacrifice our culture and assimilate. It says that we can thrive in a space that wasn’t necessarily meant for us. It allows us to come together in unity to have a good time and share in the black experience. It’s a reminder that no matter where we go, we can always find comradery with each other.
**(Photo is from Campus lately—these are not Georgia Southern students)**