From a Sociology Perspective: Why We Might Have Gotten the Idea...

[Soliel185]

I'm from Ghana so hopefully I'll be able to offer some insight into this. I remember growing up and going to school in Ghana we were not allowed to have hair that was longer than 2 inches. I went to a boarding school and every couple of months when our parents visited, they had to take us to get our hair cut. Honestly, the desire for long hair was never really there. Even when women grow up and get out of school, they are not concerned with growing their hair to BSL, let alone waist length.

My maternal grandmother for instance, sees long hair as ugly and a harbinger of lice. She kept her hair cut in a fade, so we followed her example and did the same to our hair. To this day, I still have female cousins in Ghana who wear a fade.

I believe this way of thinking has also made Africans less knowledgeable about hair care. I mean if you're going to cut it off anyway, then why would you bother learning about how to grow and retain your hair?

And anyway, I've never had trouble growing my hair long since I moved to Canada. A hairdresser cut a patch of my hair in the back to shoulder length in December 2008 and it's APL now. The rest of my hair which was APL at the time is now almost to the bottom of my shoulder blades.

I read something written by a young woman (18-19) in Nigeria. She said there is almost NO natural hair culture in the cities, and if you don't have a relaxer its either for religious reasons (no "fancy" hairstyles) or you're crazy. She also said that in a lot of the schools girls are required to cut and keep their hair in a low fade. She thought that this could be because the admins thought this would keep a neater appearance, or because hair was considered a distraction, and anything meant to make the girls more attractive would lead to immoral behavior.

 

[locabouthair]

Most people I know from West or Central Africa have very short hair and it is not on purpose. Some people growth rates are very slow and unfornately there is nothing we can do about that. Most of my African friends can wear the same braids and keep them for months (4-6) and they will still be neat and clean, which means very few growth. Some men can keep the TWA for months and it is still neat and clean. Most of my friends are from west and central Africa so I know what I am talking about. When I say Central Africa, I exclude Rwanda, Burundi because these girls usually have nice length, I think they are descendants of the Old Egypt (Nillitics), to be confirmed. Other exceptions the "Peul" and the "Sousou" people (two minorities in some countries like Senegal, Mali, Guinee, Ivory Coast etc), they do have nice length as well. And the more you go the East of Africa, the more you see length and texture changes as well. And of course in the North you'll find all the Arabs, but they are a different race of people of course.

Ive seen plenty of women from Ghana and Nigeria with very long hair. I guess there are always exceptions.

 

[Magus484]

I know that in West African schools primary and secondary schools, the girls had to shave their heads. So this could be one of the reasons why people associate short hair with W. African featured women- the young ones they see usually have really short hair.

 

[bedazzled]

If their growth rate is lower than the average and their growth cycle is similar to the average, yes they will retain shorter hair than the average for the same period of time. Honestly, not being able to grow long hair is not a big deal or a crime, trust me those people have other things to worry about. It is only hair, and those women are so beautiful and gracious with or without long hair.

I thought hair rate was individually and wasn't predisposed genetically within a whole entire group of people? My friends mom is from West Africa and she has long, thick hair.

 

[bedazzled]

Nah.

I think it is because we have spent too many years trying to fry, dye and lay it to the side.

Our stuff been breaking off for years.

That is why. I don't think it goes back to Africa on this one.

I think our hair, or lack of, is a result of modern society and our need/desire to fit it and keep up (manageability).

I 100% agree.

 

[Almaz]

Sad cause they never show ALL of Africa. I am African and I have long hair everyone in my family has long hair even my cousins that have a kinker type of hair.

I don't get it.

Media sometimes is cruel

 

[locabouthair]

I thought hair rate was individually and wasn't predisposed genetically within a whole entire group of people? My friends mom is from West Africa and she has long, thick hair.

I agree. I know people with the same nationality as me but have longer hair/faster growth rates.

 

[brandy]

I believe the shrinkage issue is true to some degree, but I can't see APL or BSL shrinking to the point that it looks like a mini fro.

Have you ever been to Africa and if yes where? I ask these questions because African women especially those in the villages that practice traditional hair care practices would not start taking photos of their hair and start posting them on the net. I have been blessed with the opportunity to see live in Africa and I have seen some married women with their natural hair past brastrap length. Because of the kind of hairstyle they were for instance bantu twists, cornrows or the thread wrap styles, you could never see their true hair lengths. You need to be around on Sundays when they wash and plait their hair for you to know the true hair length of these women. If you go to Imo State in the South Eastern part of Nigeria there is a seconday school called 'Owerri Girls'. This is a secondary school for girls. These girls plait their hair all through the 6 years they spend in school by the time they are in their 4th to 6th year so many girls have waist length hair hair type ranging from (3c to 4b).

Now if you go to the Northern part of Nigeria, you would see Fulani/Hausa ladies with waist length hair without even trying. But because these women are Moslems (Islamic), they cover their hair most of the time. Their hair type range from 2c to 4a. It really pi**es me off when people that have never stepped a foot on the continent of Africa start talking or writing their narrow unresearched opinions about Africans.

 

[Christelyn]

Have you ever been to Africa and if yes where? I ask these questions because if African women especially those in the villages that practice traditional hair care practices would not start taking photos of their hair and start posting them on the net. I have been blessed with the opportunity to see live in Africa and I have seen some married women with their natural hair past brastrap length. Because of the kind of hairstyle they were for instance bantu twists, cornrows or the thread wrap styles, you could never see their true hair lengths. You need to be around on Sundays when they wash and plait their hair for you to know the true hair length of these women. If you go to Imo State in the South Eastern part of Nigeria there is a seconday school called 'Owerri Girls'. This is a secondary school for girls. These girls plait their hair all through the 6 years they spend in school by the time they are in their 4th to 6th year so many girls have waist length hair hair type ranging from (3c to 4b).

Now if you go to the Northern part of Nigeria, you would see Fulani/Hausa ladies with waist length hair without even trying. But because these women are Moslems (Islamic), they cover their hair most of the time. Their hair type range from 2c to 4a. It really pi**es me off when people that have never stepped a foot on the continent of Africa start talking or writing their narrow unresearched opinions about Africans.

Why are you PISSED? There is no animosity in this thread--in fact, I admit from the beginning that the images and impressions I see coming from Africa are skewed. This has been an education--a disabuse of ignorance. I suggest you read ALL my posts before you jump down my neck, if you please.

 

[Kurlee]

from a sociological standpoint, I feel that the "African" has been given a very narrow, suffocating box to live in, that does not allow him to have diversity or understanding. He is what you tell him he is and sadly, he believes it. We have been conditioned for so long that our hair is "bad" that we on a subconscious level, believe it and treat it as such. That and we are GROSSLY misinformed about our hair, it's types, characteristics and how to treat it.

 

[Christelyn]

from a sociological standpoint, I feel that the "African" has been given a very narrow, suffocating box to live in, that does not allow him to have diversity or understanding. He is what you tell him he is and sadly, he believes it. We have been conditioned for so long that our hair is "bad" that we on a subconscious level, believe it and treat it as such. That and we are GROSSLY misinformed about our hair, it's types, characteristics and how to treat it.

Oh. My. God. The initial question was posited because of stereotypes that those of us in the US have witnessed. If you read the majority of the posts, most of them agree that the images of typical African women paint a very generic view. It was a harmless question. Why are you and brandy trying to make this something ugly?

 

[LadyPaniolo]

Oh. My. God. The initial question was posited because of stereotypes that those of us in the US have witnessed. If you read the majority of the posts, most of them agree that the images of typical African women paint a very generic view. It was a harmless question. Why are you and brandy trying to make this something ugly?

I know this wasn't directed at me, but I THINK she was trying to pretty much say the same thing that you were saying... that the images portrayed of Africa and Africans are not accurate or representative, and that the warped images are harmful. Am I right?

 

[Christelyn]

No Lady P, I was directing it at the two previous posters before my last one. Thanks.

 

[GV-NA-GI-TLV-GE-I]

And so as not to perpetuate further stereotyping of Africa....just saying:

Ethiopia
Ethiopia enjoys an extremely varied climatic conditions from cool to very cold in the highlands where most of the population inhabits, to one of the hottest places on earth at the Dallol Depression. Most of Ethiopia was supposed to enjoy a tropical climate for its proximity to the equator, but due to the fact that most of the country’s land mass stands over 1,500 m (4,920 ft), that is not the case. The climate is broadly divided into three zones.

- Dega (Cool Zone)-Areas above 2,600 m (8,530 ft) where temperatures range from near freezing to 16 degrees Celsius. This is where most alpine and afro-alpine vegetation occurs.

- Woyina Dega (Temperate Zone)-Areas between 1,500 m (4,920 ft) and 2,600 m (8,530ft) where temperatures range from 16 degrees Celsius to 30 degrees Celsius. This is where most of the population lives.

- Qola (Hot Zone)-Areas below 1,500 m (4,920 ft) with both tropical and arid conditions where temperatures range from 27 degrees Celsius to 50 degrees Celsius. Bereha is a general term that refers to the extreme form of Qola.

Normally, the rainy season lasts from mid-June to mid-September (longer in the southern highlands) preceded by intermittent showers from February or March; remainder of year is generally dry.

Eritrea
Normally, the rainy season lasts from mid-June to mid-September (longer in the southern highlands) preceded by intermittent showers from February or March; remainder of year is generally dry.

Eritrea: Three Seasons in two hours.

In the highlands, further inland, with an elevation between 1,800 and 2,100 meters (5,900 and 6,900 feet) the hottest month is usually May (around 30°) and in winter (December to February) temperatures are near freezing point at night.

At sea level along the coast (Massawa, Assab), the period from June to September is very hot (40-50°). In the period December to February (rainy season) the temperature varies from 20 to 35°. Massawa at sea level has an average annual temperature of 30° Celsius (86° Fahrenheit) and an annual precipitation of 205 mm (80 inches).

In the western lowlands (Agordat, Barentu), the temperatures and the rainy seasons are comparable to those on the coast.

Egypt
Egypt , the North African country, has a weather that is characteristic of the arid regions. In Egypt the days are hot and the nights are cool and pleasant. This African country, famous world wide as the 'land of antiquities' has two prominent seasons: hot summer and mild winter.

The hot summer season lasts from the month of May to October while the winter continues from November to April. The difference between these two seasons can be marked only by changes in prevailing winds and cyclic temperature variations.

In the maritime regions, the Egypt weather is like, the minimum average temperature during winter is 14°C while the maximum average temperature during summer is 30° C. There are major fluctuations in the inland arid regions, particularly during summer when the temperature may vary from 43° C during the day to 7° C at night. During the winter time the temperature may range from 18° C during the day to even 0° C at night.

The average annual temperature is more in the southern parts of Egypt and so Northern regions like Alexandria and others are much cooler. Sometimes during winter the Nile Valley and the Delta even experiences frost and snow falls

 

[lilyofthevalley]

I read something written by a young woman (18-19) in Nigeria. She said there is almost NO natural hair culture in the cities, and if you don't have a relaxer its either for religious reasons (no "fancy" hairstyles) or you're crazy. She also said that in a lot of the schools girls are required to cut and keep their hair in a low fade. She thought that this could be because the admins thought this would keep a neater appearance, or because hair was considered a distraction, and anything meant to make the girls more attractive would lead to immoral behavior.

I wouldn't be surprised if that is the case in Nigerian cities. I grew up in a town just outside the city of Kumasi in Ghana but I went to school in the city. This was back in the late 80s, early 90s and while natural hair was the default hairstyle of the people in my town, in the city relaxers were becoming more common. All over West Africa city folks are usually more concerned with getting away from traditional ways of living and becoming more "advanced", read more Western, than people who live in the towns and villages. And yes, the reasons that she gave for why young girls are to told to keep this hair short were the same reasons that we were given by our schools in Ghana.

Also some members have pointed out the hair length difference between Ethiopia and West Africa, personally I don't think it's a weather thing. It's cultural. Ethiopians have had centuries of contact with Indians, Middle Easterners and other long hair loving people. It's only natural that they will view long hair in a more favourably than West Africans (whose contact with outside cultures is more recent) and be more likely to want to grow their hair long. Even then, I don't see too many Ethiopians who let their hair grow past BSL and I'm sure they would have no problem growing their hair longer. Historically, Africans have just not really been that into hair. We're just getting into it now.

 

[bedazzled]

Have you ever been to Africa and if yes where? I ask these questions because African women especially those in the villages that practice traditional hair care practices would not start taking photos of their hair and start posting them on the net. I have been blessed with the opportunity to see live in Africa and I have seen some married women with their natural hair past brastrap length. Because of the kind of hairstyle they were for instance bantu twists, cornrows or the thread wrap styles, you could never see their true hair lengths. You need to be around on Sundays when they wash and plait their hair for you to know the true hair length of these women. If you go to Imo State in the South Eastern part of Nigeria there is a seconday school called 'Owerri Girls'. This is a secondary school for girls. These girls plait their hair all through the 6 years they spend in school by the time they are in their 4th to 6th year so many girls have waist length hair hair type ranging from (3c to 4b).

Now if you go to the Northern part of Nigeria, you would see Fulani/Hausa ladies with waist length hair without even trying. But because these women are Moslems (Islamic), they cover their hair most of the time. Their hair type range from 2c to 4a. It really pi**es me off when people that have never stepped a foot on the continent of Africa start talking or writing their narrow unresearched opinions about Africans.

Thank you for informing us. And I think you're right on it. But I don't think you should be so upset because this post is supposed to be educational. But I guess, it would be quite upsetting that alot of people generally have default characteristics in which they expect africans to look like, and africans are soo diverse.

 

[Kurlee]

Oh. My. God. The initial question was posited because of stereotypes that those of us in the US have witnessed. If you read the majority of the posts, most of them agree that the images of typical African women paint a very generic view. It was a harmless question. Why are you and brandy trying to make this something ugly?

Are you really being serious right now? Why would you ask a question from a sociological standpoint, if you can't handle a sociological answer? Sociology is the study of society and its relations, influences and impacts on the people within that society, hence my answer.

Thanks for contributing. I hope you don't take what I say too personally--I was pointing out that images that Americans get about Africa--from school, the media, etc., generally show African women with very short hair. That was the purpose of my post--I was thinking out loud about whether those types of images have predisposed us--and other races for that matter--to believe black women can't grow long hair.

This IS YOUR POST! I said the EXACT SAME THING, using slightly different language. What is your problem?

 

[GV-NA-GI-TLV-GE-I]

I wouldn't be surprised if that is the case in Nigerian cities. I grew up in a town just outside the city of Kumasi in Ghana but I went to school in the city. This was back in the late 80s, early 90s and while natural hair was the default hairstyle of the people in my town, in the city relaxers were becoming more common. All over West Africa city folks are usually more concerned with getting away from traditional ways of living and becoming more "advanced", read more Western, than people who live in the towns and villages. And yes, the reasons that she gave for why young girls are to told to keep this hair short were the same reasons that we were given by our schools in Ghana.

Also some members have pointed out the hair length difference between Ethiopia and West Africa, personally I don't think it's a weather thing. It's cultural. Ethiopians have had centuries of contact with Indians, Middle Easterners and other long hair loving people. It's only natural that they will view long hair in a more favourably than West Africans (whose contact with outside cultures is more recent) and be more likely to want to grow their hair long. Even then, I don't see too many Ethiopians who let their hair grow past BSL and I'm sure they would have no problem growing their hair longer. Historically, Africans have just not really been that into hair. We're just getting into it now.

Dravidians came from Ethiopia, originally. That type of "mixed" looking people one sees in the East of Africa are all indigenous...just a diff. type. Not necessarily mixed...although "habesha" does mean mixed. They are basically mixed with other indigenous Africans.

 

[Kurlee]

I know this wasn't directed at me, but I THINK she was trying to pretty much say the same thing that you were saying... that the images portrayed of Africa and Africans are not accurate or representative, and that the warped images are harmful. Am I right?

This is exactly what i was saying but clearly SHE has a problem with it and does not understand that it's the EXACT same thing she is saying so whatevs

 

[Adgirl]

In Ethiopia long hair is somewhat a city thing/style. Majority of ethiopians live in the country side where short hair/afro is the style. They have healthy beautful hair but they don't grow it. It is too much work and again long hair is not even sought after. I'm ethiopian and looking at pictures of my grand mothers and many generations before them they all had short afros. Most do braids as well but short or long it does not matter. Even in the cities where you see a tons of long haired women you see as many women with short healthy hair.

 

[I_shure_do_wish]

I was just at a Black Student Association Conference @ School today and we had a major discussion about how we are viewed in society . And one student brought up the hair topic and how are hair really matters in the black community. She stated that growing up she viewed Afro textured hair as the bad thing, often seeing criminals in movies with the broken and dry hair. While successful women had the relaxed long hair. And I agreed with her 100% a lot of us growing up saw long associated with wealth and status and it is still carrying on.

 

[Christelyn]

This is exactly what i was saying but clearly SHE has a problem with it and does not understand that it's the EXACT same thing she is saying so whatevs

Your post alone didn't spark the outrage, but, combined with you thanking the previous poster "for her useful post", who essentially reamed me because I never visited Africa (brandy) made me assume you cosigned with her.

 

[almond eyes]

My grandmother who was Sierra Leonean had long Afro hair. And growing up all of the Africans I knew had long afro hair unless they cut it off to wear a short fro because they were in African boarding schools where relaxers were not allowed. The shortness started when people began messing with relaxers and not knowing how to use them properly especially when relaxers from the States and Europe started flooding into Africa. Many Africans (not all) don't understand the relaxer process. I remember in the 80s when my African mother took me to a hair dresser to get my first relaxer she asked the hairdresser to use a six month relaxer. The hairdresser was like what is a six month relaxer?. My mother did not understand about the whole touch up thing.

In Ethiopia, there are many women with that long afro hair too but again that's more in Addis and with the younger women.

In Rwanda and Burundi, where the women are not mixed race looking have long hair due to relaxers. But as you go into the provinces women are more inclined to wear afros.

In Egypt, I have not seen women with very long hair either.

It depends on the country, climate factors and socio-economic factors.

Best,
Almond Eyes

 

[Kurlee]

Your post alone didn't spark the outrage, but, combined with you thanking the previous poster "for her useful post", who essentially reamed me because I never visited Africa (brandy) made me assume you cosigned with her.

Well you know what they say about assuming. I co-signed because I felt like what she said was true, not directed at you, but in general. Many people haven't been there or studied it and make a lot of false assumptions that they use to formulate their perspectives. .......

 

[that_1_grrrl]

Not all cultures value long hair. In some cultures, short hair is considered beautiful.

 

[EbonyHairedPrincess]

that we could not grow Afro hair long, I'm wondering how much of an impact looking at African images of women with perpetually short hair might give some subliminal impression that we can't grow our hair long. With this exception of places like Ethiopia and Erietra (sp), I NEVER see African women with long hair. What is the reason for this? Dryness? Shea butter abounds. What do you guys think?

I remember watching an episode of Sweet Sixteen Exiled. One girl was sent to Africa and the African girl that was her guide told her to cut her hair because it was to long. Culturally she thought it was ugly .

 

[disgtgyal]

Their hair could be short because it's hot down there! LOL

Just kidding...... Buy maybe they keep it short on purpose........I wouldn't want lots of hair if I lived in a hot part of the world.

But yeah, shrinkage is a good point.

Eventhough you said you're kidding I believe there is some truth to that. I think we are given characteristics and traits that's conducive to our native environment and although there are Africans that have long hair I think its less common and more difficult to achieve, dry hair plus dry climate is not ideal for facilitating growth. Waist length hair would make an already hot environment feel hotter. My theory is based on a professor saying AA have short wide noses because of our origins we needed to take in more air that doesnt need to be heated, whereas whites needed less air that requires warming hence the long narrow nose. I could be wrong but just my take on it lol...

 

[mscocoface]

I believe the shrinkage issue is true to some degree, but I can't see APL or BSL shrinking to the point that it looks like a mini fro.

You must have missed my fotki, posts and other pictures.

I wore my hair out again yesterday and by the end of the day it was right back were it was in my last posted pictures.

I was sooo frustrated. Now my hair is somewhere between BSL/MBL and STILL it shrunk up to my neck.

 

[mscocoface]

Soliel185 thank you for posting that site. Keep the knowledge coming. It does my heart good after seeing my hair shrink up so fierce yesterday.

 

[JinaRicci]

Hmm.. this thread has been very educational to say the least. It made me think about how perceptions and stereotypes within a culture originate and perpetute based on individual experiences.

It also made me think about how those very perceptions are transferred and easily accepted by other cultures that are limited by their own experiences. How could all the cultures involved prevent the permanent acceptance of such perceptions or even stimulate their eventual eradication?

I don't know why this perception being discussed is present or where it originated. But it would appear to be culture and experience-dependent. This perception was not present in my culture or early experiences.

Fortunately, we know that it is largely unfounded so hopefully as members of this forum, our goals include defying those beliefs- not for anyone else but for ourselves. Only when we truly start believing, will others see the truth & we don't even need MBL or WL hair to achieve that.

this has been an interesting sociological study...so can we please all sing 'kum ba ya' now.