True Power

True Power

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

I want the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

When it comes to dreads, there are some serious myths floating around. When people do not understand something or it is new, not what they have been use to, they are apt to be fearful. Just look at the amount of fear having a black president has caused within a year. When someone is fearful or unsure, the tendency is to make the unknown into a MONSTER. The president and dreads have succombed to the falacies of fear.

Here are a few well known myths and their corrections

1. Only Black People can have dreadlocks.
Anyone can have dreadlocks, though it is easier to achieve this look with some hair textures than with others. It's very possible to lock caucasian hair. To see many ethnic groups rocking dreads go to dreadheadhq.com.

2. Dreadlocks represent rebellion or drastic opinions.
There is no doubt that dreads seem to be the mane of a powerful person. The person wearing them looks bold, confident, and secure in self. These are characteristics one would associate with a mover and shaker in society. If being proud to wear my God given hair is a political statement, then there is a lot of rebellion going on in every ethinic group. I guess India Arie is the one who said "I'm not my hair". Some people have dreadlocks because they love the hairstyle, others as a tradition due to where they come from while others are just experimenting.
(me sight seeing in Texas)

3. Dreadlocks should be left dirty and should never be washed.
Locks like any other hairstyle needs to be well maintained and part of that maintainance includes washing. Locks are on your scalp and involve your hair, meaning, the sweat on your scalp accumulates in the hair together with all the dirt from the environement leading to the locks stinking and looking really horrible.Dreads are not dirty; the person wearing them may be.

4. Dreadlocks drain out your body weight.
I don't know where this could have originated. But, if dreads did help to control weght, then every nationality in the world would wear them. There is no direct connection between body weight and length of hair. Of course when you are healthy you have healthier hair but it doesn't mean you will never grow fat because you have dreadlocks.

5. Locks are for Rastas only.
Locks are like any other hairstyle and considering it's a free world, anyone can have them. But there is a rich history behind Rastas and other groups wearing locks and it would be nice and informative to check out the history of dreads on wikipedia.

6.Mayonnaise, Honey, Toothpaste, Glue, Rubber Cement, Mud, Chewing Gum, Peanut Butter, Shea Butter,and Candle Wax all work great for starting dreadlocks.
This is just plain wrong. What will your hair smell like with all that stuff in it? Please do not try this at home. Have mercy on your beautiful hair.The more junk you put on your hair the more you are apt to have build-up and moldy hair. Remember, your hair is still hair; only the style of wearing it has changed. o people with perms apply such drastic products?

7.Locks damage your scalp.
Quite on the contrary. Locks are very natural, you just wash and twist, meaning you never damage your scalp with relaxers, or pulling hence relaxing your scalp. Just give your head a massage once in a while and you will be surprised at how relaxing it is compared to perming and braiding.

8. You have to cut your hair to get rid of locks.
Today with the amount of products in the market, you can undo the locks anytime and maintain the wonderful length attained during the locking stage, just soak the locks in V05 conditioner and comb them out. This will of course depend on the texture of your hair. Since my hair is coarse, it would take me days and probably a considerable amount of hair loss to undo my dreads. The best option for me would be to cut them all off. I did it once when my hair was permed and so I would not be adversed to doing it again.

Whatever the myth on locks, they only can survive with people refusing to educate themselves on this exotic hair style. Be informed so you can inform others.

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