Betty Chambers Has Spoken: Hair Again

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Hair Again - The Vanity Check
Monday, February 4, 2008

I lurk on a number of hair boards. I'm surprised that there's still a debate over hair types. Let me be specific: some black women (almost monthly) often wonder whether 100% African Americans (black parents and grand parents, allowing for multi-ethnic, multi-racial great-grandparents) can grow hair past their shoulders. My hair type might be what they seek: nappy, cnapps, 4 a-b-c-z, cotton-like, fine, medium, and completely uncombable. Combs are so overrated. (snicker)

There's quite a demand for proof of long hair. A good search into

fotki could provide these ladies with the answers they seek. I'm constantly impressed by the variety of natural hair styles I see. I wish I was as creative. I can't create clean and precise parts for nothing. The pictures are of unraveled bantu knots (aloe vera and castor oil) before I condition wash.

I don't post responses; this blog isn't a response to those requests. I never doubted that black women can grow long hair - almost every girl I knew during my childhood had long hair.

I was one of the bald ones. It bothered me sometimes. I was certain that it was genetics since my aunts weren't long haired. I only knew what one of my grandmothers looked like. Her hair was shoulder length, so my expectations weren't high. As I got older I figured that this dry and cold climate was my enemy. I was always making plans to live in the South. All the women down there seem to have very long hair.

However, over the past few years, I've finally figured out what worked: moisture and leaving it alone. Duh.

Labels: bantu knots, black women, hair, nappy, natural hair

posted by GoldenAh

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