My dreadlocks Journey…

For a long time India Arie’s song I AM NOT MY HAIR has been one of my favorite, the chorus caught my attention and I would sing it whenever it come to mind. Today as I write this piece I have been asking myself literally, am I really my hair? and this will not be the first time; on some days I would tell myself NO and on others YES.

The recent talks about dreadlocks and natural hair has really brought out a lot of issues, some of which many of us considered as not important or relevant until now. For me, my natural hair journey started in 2011, but earlier than that I had been looking for an opportunity to grow my natural hair for varied reasons which included the fact that I had headaches from sitting under hair dryers for long periods due to the coarse nature and volume of my permed hair and the fact that I wear spectacles too didn’t help much and so in 2011 when I fell pregnant with Papa I took the opportunity to begin the natural hair journey.

I didn’t get a BIG CHOP as most people did, rather I left my new growth unpermed for months, and cut off inches of the permed hair week after week. I did this to more or less get the husband used to my emerging looks. I didn’t necessarily sought permission to cut my own hair plus the fact that I was pregnant and the last thing he cared was my hair!! eventually I was left with natural hair. I cared and managed my hair with help from YOUTUBE VIDEOS.

It was YouTube that got me interested in locks, I saw black women with locks styled and some dyed in different colors as well and there I decided to lock my own. At the time my loose hair was quite long and becoming a chore to wash and style weekly and so I said t why not? Just around that time my friend Abena had also decided to lock her hair too; she however choose sisterlocks and I choose interlock and so in 2015 Abena headed to Black Cotton in Dzorwulo and I to Twist and Locks at Danquah Osu to have our hair locked.

The journey has been a learning experience in getting to understand my hair and how to manage it, most importantly I have come to even appreciate how my hair has impacted my personality and views on a lot of issues especially one that centers on hair and my being an AFRICAN. Sometimes I get people ask me if I am wearing a Wig, the doubting Thomas will always ask to touch or have feel of it. Some people think natural hair does not grow. Truth is that, keeping locks will teach you patience , I mean you will need a lot of patience but it will worth it eventually.

Anyways, just incase you are thinking of locking your hair too; please keep these tips or better put, this is my routine and findings so far.

• I have maintained the same stylist from day one to date, Rita knows and understand my hair. She is flexible with me, on most days she comes home to fix it.

• The initial stage could be expensive depending on where you go, I paid Ghc300 in 2015 to get my interlock, my friend Abena paid Ghc900 or more to get sisterlocks ( the cost also depends on the length of the hair)

• Black Castor oil, Shea butter (aka nkuto) and Cantu Leave in are my favorite products and I apply them once a week

• I love to curl my locks and wear them loose or in a bun ( I do not apply heat to my hair; this causes breakages)

In all this one thing is for sure, keeping my locks has been amazing, liberating and has shaped my identity and personality and so YES I AM MY HAIR TOO!! and I am growing it to waist length (Hair Goals)

Yours Truly, Nana Akonuwah