The controversial debate about white people wearing dreadlocks has been going on for a long time. African American hair is a hard subject to talk about, especially if it is tied with politics and identity. Dreadlocks are a common, fashionable hairstyle and an represent identity for African Americans. Some African Americans are getting upset with white people wearing dreads because it’s seen as cultural appropriation.
Cultural Appropriation
Cultural appropriation is defined as, “the adoption or use of the elements of one culture by members of another culture.” Some African Americans think that white people are taking something that’s a part of their culture and is making it their own. Others are angry because it seems like white people wearing dreads is more acceptable in society than a black person wearing it.
Many black women get backlash for wearing dreads in schools or in workplaces because it’s considered unprofessional. Even celebrities, such as Zendaya, received racist comments for wearing Faux Locs at the Oscars Red Carpet. Faux Locs are an African American protective style that creates the illusion of real dread locs using extensions twisted around your own hair. Fashion Police host, Giuliana Rancic, commented on Zendaya’s hairstyle saying that it “smells like patchouli oil or weed” which is rude and racist.
A person should not be backlashed and receive racist comments for their hair, especially if it’s a part of their culture. It’s very ignorant and offensive to assume someone’s personality based off their hairstyles and to pick at their culture.
When the Kardashian-Jenner sisters started to wear African American hairstyles, such as cornrows, they received so much criticism from the African American community because none of them have ever acknowledged the history or significance behind either one of these hairstyles. They just wore it as a regular hairstyle without having any meaning to it.
Dreads symbolize and mean many things to African Americans. We as people should acknowledge the significance and history on dreads to get a better understanding why many African Americans wear this style. For many people it just goes beyond a hairstyle; it has something in their culture and gives them their identity as African Americans. People should respect the hairstyle, especially when they are wearing it and give recognition to the African American community for the hairstyle.
History of Dreadlocks
The history of dreadlocks is different, depending on who you ask.
Dreadlocks first originated in India, according to Dr. Bert Ashe’s book, Twisted: My Dreadlocks Chronicles. He wrote in his book that Hinduism’s oldest scripture depicted the Hindu God Shiva wearing locks or “jaTaa” in the Sanskrit language. It seems that this is a spiritual origin of dreadlocks in Indian culture.
However, the first archaeological proof of people wearing dreadlocks came from Egypt, where mummies have been recovered with their dreadlocks still intact. Despite its origin, people wore dreadlocks in many culture at some point in time.
In some cultures, dreadlocks symbolize modesty or spirituality. Others still believe that dreadlocks are the most natural and healthy style of hair.
In the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, Rastafarianism gained popularity in the Jamaican population. Before it received the name Rastafarianism, its followers (Rastas) called themselves ‘dreads’ because it signifies them wearing dreads and they wore it to respect the God in their culture.
Dreads are worn today for many reasons. People would wear it for spiritual reasons, others would wear it because they identify as Rastas, or they love the hairstyle.
What I Think
Being South Asian, I do not understand fully the effect that white people wearing dreads has on African Americans. However, I do feel that white people should be able to wear dreads because it’s a nice hairstyle. But, I think they should give African Americans recognition for the hairstyles because it came from their culture. I believe, if people wear something from another culture, they should respect the culture’s style and learn about the style because it may have significance to it.
In my opinion it is a good thing to share culture, such as hairstyle, food, clothing, etc. with people because it is great to learn about other cultures or other people’s way of life. Yet, I don’t like people taking something from another culture and making it their own. I find that rude and in my opinion that’s cultural appropriation.
For example, A European vintage clothing store named “We Are Cow”, labeled traditional South Asian clothes as ‘festive wear’. Also, they made the clothes more westernized, which made no sense to me at all. I was offended that they took something from my culture gave it another name and made it into theirs. They gave my culture no recognition whatsoever. I was upset by that and thought that was cultural appropriation.
People can wear desi clothes whenever they want, but don’t change the name of the clothing and make it more western because South Asians wear those clothes for specific reasons and they have important significance to them.
The same goes for dreadlocks for the African American and Jamaican communities. Dreadlocks symbolize something to them. Let’s not take what’s a part of their culture and make it into the next fashion trend because that’s not right. I understand, why the African American community feels the way they do because the same thing happened to my culture.
However, the most important thing I would say is that if white people decide to style their hair with dreads, they need to not only be aware of the decision they’re making, but give credit and respect to the African American community.