Locs, dreadlocks, dreads, rasta or whatever you want to call
them, I’ve found that there’s a lot of curiosity about the hairstyle. In the
year and a half that I’ve had locs, friends, family and strangers alike have had
no shortage of questions and comments. In this post I’ll discuss a few of the frequently
asked questions (FAQs) and typical comments I receive to help shed some light
on the misconceptions and address some of issues people express interest in.
So, you just stopped
combing your hair?
There are many ways to start and maintain locs. In my case I
used comb coils, also known as comb twists and sometimes I simply use my
fingers to twist my hair. Palm rolling, backcombing, two strand twists and
interlocking are some of the ways to start and maintain locs. Another way is to
simply stop combing and brushing one’s hair, which will result in the formation
of freeform locs. I find that most people think freeform locs are unattractive
and inherently dirty. But this is not necessarily the case. Folk musician Valerie
June’s freeform locs are a case in point. They’re big and a little wild and
there’s a beauty to them. At least I think so.
Valerie June
Image credit: valeriejune.com
Getting back to the assumption that locs are dirty, one
comment I’ve received often is, “Wow,
your dreads are so clean!” However, locs are not inherently dirty; it all
depends on how much effort the loc wearer puts into keeping them clean. In the
baby or starter loc stage, contact with water typically makes the hair unravel
but ultimately, dirt and excess oil slow down the locking process. At whatever
stage of a loc journey, regular washes are beneficial and it’s up to the loc
wearer to decide what frequency best suits their hair.
How long have you had
them?
This question is less interesting than the way some people
react to my answer. For instance, at 9 months one gentleman responded with,
“You’re lying. There’s no way your dreadlocks can be this long after only 9
months, you must have had them for years.” This gentleman and many others seem
to think that locs have to be started on super short hair. However, one’s hair
doesn’t have to be of any particular length before starting locs but the
shorter it is, the more difficult it is for new locs to hold. For anyone
planning to start locs, there’s no need to first do a big chop. Ideally hair
should at least be about two inches long before starter locs are installed.
Below is a (fuzzy) picture of me with 2-week old starter
locs. I trimmed my hair before starting the locking process and have trimmed it
several more times over the last year and a half but there was no need for me
to cut it close to my scalp.
One of the rare images I took during my starter
loc phase
Are they permanent?
Yes and no. Most people think that locs cannot be combed out
but it is possible. With a lot of moisture, conditioner, time and patience,
it’s doable. However, it largely depends on how long you’ve had them and the
method used to create them. The more mature locs are, the harder it is to comb
them out.
Locs cultivated by finger coils, comb coils or palm rolling
are easier to remove than those cultivated through the interlocking method. Size is also a factor; the smaller and more
mature locs are, the more difficult it is to comb them out. Sisterlocks, a tiny
form of locs created through a specialised method are a case in point.
Sisterlocks
Image credit: going-natural.com
Maintaining your hair
must be expensive
Again I say, yes and no. The cheapest way to maintain locs
is to do it yourself. At times I’ve simply bought locking gel as well as a few
other products and for months taken charge of my loc maintenance. However, I’ve
also found a hairdresser I trust, so when my schedule won’t allow me to
dedicate as much time as I’d like to retwisting and styling my locs, I know
where to go to save time. Obviously, getting your locs done at a high-end salon
will cost more than at your local market. Maintaining locs can be easily
affordable or make a real dent in your wallet depending on where and how often
it’s done and the types of products used.
You must be
afro-centric
I got this comment even when I had loose hair and wore an
afro or two-strand twists but I hear it a little more often since I started
locking my hair. Wearing a bright patterned dress and with my hair wrapped but
not completely so as to reveal my locs one man looked me up and down, settled
his eyes on my hair and said, “You look so natural and African, your husband
must be proud.” Stunned and amused, the only words I could string together
were, “I’m not married.”
While a certain level of pride in my hair prompted me to go
natural and later start locking my hair, my styling choices often have a lot to
do with practicality and not just a desire to honour my heritage. One thing
worth remembering is that locking of hair is not a practise for black people
alone. From Nazarites in biblical times to Hindu holy men and women, Aboriginal
Australians to Maasai warriors, a variety of cultures and religions have
adopted locked hair as part of their lifestyles. Therefore, I’m not too quick
to describe my locs as particularly symbolic of my ‘Africanness’ or African
pride.
Aside from assuming
I’m particularly afrocentric, many also assume I’m some kind of artist.
Singer/songwriter, poet and novelists are some of the guesses people have made.
It’s flattering, but all wrong. I can’t sing to save my life, nor am I a
creative writer. There’s no one-size-fits-all career path for people with locs;
I’ve met loc wearers who work in a variety of fields, some creative, others
not.
Afro-centric, creative, artistic, my locs
communicate a lot whether true or false
Are you into reggae?
Often people want to know whether I’m a reggae fan or more
specifically, if I’m into Bob Marley. An old school mate I bumped into recently
asked if I was a Marley fan and then answered his own question by saying, “With
that hair, of course you are.” I am fan now but also in my younger days when I
had bone straight relaxed hair so the locs are really a factor in my musical
tastes.
Curious about locs? Drop
a question in the comments section and I’ll (attempt) to answer you.
