**HELP** Going to Jamaica... hair dilemma!

[LivingDoll]

COCOPUFF!!!

I just mentioned you in the newbie thread today! I'm so happy to hear from you! Girl, I don't think you'll have a problem having natural hair either. Have fun!

BTW, stop past the Newbie Thread Part 2 to say hi to the girls. We all miss you!!!

 

[cocopuff06]

COCOPUFF!!!

I just mentioned you in the newbie thread today! I'm so happy to hear from you! Girl, I don't think you'll have a problem having natural hair either. Have fun!

BTW, stop past the Newbie Thread Part 2 to say hi to the girls. We all miss you!!!

Hey Daephae!!!

I miss you all too!! I took a little break from LHCF when I had my kinky twists and since I took them out 2 weeks ago I've been trying to get back into it.. when I saw that the newbie thread was over 1,000 posts... I backed away... I don't have the time nor the energy to go through all of those posts and play catchup! But maybe I will take out some time to do so, or even just jump right back in and keep it rollin! Great to hear from you!

 

[LivingDoll]

Hey Daephae!!!

I miss you all too!! I took a little break from LHCF when I had my kinky twists and since I took them out 2 weeks ago I've been trying to get back into it.. when I saw that the newbie thread was over 1,000 posts... I backed away... I don't have the time nor the energy to go through all of those posts and play catchup! But maybe I will take out some time to do so, or even just jump right back in and keep it rollin! Great to hear from you!

You don't have to...sometimes I'm away for a week or two...I just read the last 3-4 pages. works for me...

Just jump back in...say hi and keep it movin'. We miss u and would love to have u back posting again!

 

[Sexyred]

I am from Jamaica, born and raise in Kingston and I just came back from there a couple months ago. Trust and believe me that you will have absolutely no problems with wearing your natural hair down there. I think it has a lot more to do with your family and what they believe. When I was down there I even saw people rocking fro hawks, so I do believe they are way over exaggerating. Has someone said be careful where you go but that's it. You are going to want your afro in Jamaica because Kingston is so hot and you are going to want to wash your hair every night just to cool down and get rid of that hot sticky feeling. I am natural and I will be going home in the next couple of months and trust me I will be rocking my fro. In jamaica if you don't put a relaxer "creme" in your hair then you are looked down upon. Again, I think this is just ignorance and some not knowing how to truly care for there hair. If you feel more comfortable weaving/braiding it up then do that, but trust and believe me that you will have no problems whatsoever about your natural hair and the people there. OK I have said too much hope this helps

 

[LongiLox]

So I'm going to Jamaica in two weeks and I will be staying in Kingston with my cousins. Right now I have been rockin my fro, twistouts, puffs, and wash-n- gos and am really enjoying my natural hair. My family has already been trying to tell me to go back to a relaxer, but now that I am going to Jamaica, they are saying that natural hair is not an option. I thought this would be the perfect time for me to have my hair in different natural styles, but they said that since I will be with the natives, I could be mistaken for being a rastafarian which could cause a lot of problems for me and for my fam. While I don't want to change myself for anyone else, I don't want to cause any problems for anyone and I don't be so stubborn that it could put me in any danger.... any suggestions or advice??

I had kinky twists and they said NO... They don't really like micro- braids, but feel that might be better than my fro.... my mom said I should get it pressed, but that would be gone the day I hit the beach... HELP!!!

Why don't you do some other type of braids besides micro-braids, like cornrows, etc.

 

[sevetlana]

Hi OP,
I live in Jamaica, and I work in Kingston. You really don't have to worry about your hair. The most people will think, is that you are a Christian. You will certainly not be mistaken for a rastafarian (just stalked your fotki). The men hair like girls with natural hair . So you dont have to worry.

Braids are a good idea, it is very popular here.It will suit the beach life better especially if you dont want to deal with shrinkage.

Enjoy your time here.

 

[zora]

Hi OP,
I live in Jamaica, and I work in Kingston. You really don't have to worry about your hair. The most people will think, is that you are a Christian. You will certainly not be mistaken for a rastafarian (just stalked your fotki). The men hair like girls with natural hair . So you dont have to worry.

Braids are a good idea, it is very popular here.It will suit the beach life better especially if you dont want to deal with shrinkage.

Enjoy your time here.

That made me laugh!

OP, I just stalked your fotki and you're very pretty. You have a beautiful color and nice features.

As for those who asked the OP's age. It's about respect. That's it. There's none of that 'you're 18 and an adult' stuff in the Caribbean. You are still your mother's daughter no matter what.

 

[LongCurlyLocks]

Dang, yall have just scared me from going to Jamaica!!! I didn't know the way you wear your hair is such a big deal there!! I wonder what they'd say to me, with my wavy locks....hmm...well I never really planned to go away, my aunt and uncle went so many times during my childhood, I just decided to live through their memories!!!

 

[Ganjababy]

When I read your post I laughed out loud........sorry I found the bolded bit funny. I went to Jamaica on holiday in jan 08 and I saw the most varied hairstyles -wigged, weaved braided, natural and relaxed and some of the most healthy heads of hair. At one point I wondered if the women knew about LHCF because a lot of women and schoolgirls were sporting buns which I had not seen before in my many visits Jamaica. While visiting a beauty salon I had to try hard not to stare at a woman who had 4b below waist lenght relaxed hair. Never seen this before-only on LHCF. This womans husband was waiting for her and he was jokingly telling the stylist to cut off his wifes hair because her hair was sucking the nutrients from her body because she was too skinny with this big hair. Dont get me wrong......there are a lot of people in jamaica with damaged hair but just like the USA all kinds of styles are worn in Jamaica so you dont have to worry. Also, even if you were rastafarian you would not have any negative problems because of that, that happened in the 50-1970s. It does not happen now. By the way- Jamaica is very hot. I braided my hair (with extensions) on one visit .....never again. It is too hot. you are better off wearing your own hair. Unless you live down South and you are used to the weather being that extremly hot. Also some Jamaicans take offense to being referred to as natives. Hope this helps

So I'm going to Jamaica in two weeks and I will be staying in King ston with my cousins. Right now I have been rockin my fro, twistouts, puffs, and wash-n- gos and am really enjoying my natural hair. My family has already been trying to tell me to go back to a relaxer, but now that I am going to Jamaica, they are saying that natural hair is not an option. I thought this would be the perfect time for me to have my hair in different natural styles, but they said that since I will be with the natives, I could be mistaken for being a rastafarian which could cause a lot of problems for me and for my fam. While I don't want to change myself for anyone else, I don't want to cause any problems for anyone and I don't be so stubborn that it could put me in any danger.... any suggestions or advice??

I had kinky twists and they said NO... They don't really like micro- braids, but feel that might be better than my fro.... my mom said I should get it pressed, but that would be gone the day I hit the beach... HELP!!!

 

[Ganjababy]

Hey Curly they would say you have 'good haar'

Dang, yall have just scared me from going to Jamaica!!! I didn't know the way you wear your hair is such a big deal there!! I wonder what they'd say to me, with my wavy locks....hmm...well I never really planned to go away, my aunt and uncle went so many times during my childhood, I just decided to live through their memories!!!

 

[Blaque*Angel]

That made me laugh!

OP, I just stalked your fotki and you're very pretty. You have a beautiful color and nice features.

As for those who asked the OP's age. It's about respect. That's it. There's none of that 'you're 18 and an adult' stuff in the Caribbean. You are still your mother's daughter no matter what.

I sure know that,my parents are Jamaican, grand parents and great grandparents too

i was curious as to how old OP is, that's all

 

[sevetlana]

Dang, yall have just scared me from going to Jamaica!!! I didn't know the way you wear your hair is such a big deal there!! I wonder what they'd say to me, with my wavy locks....hmm...well I never really planned to go away, my aunt and uncle went so many times during my childhood, I just decided to live through their memories!!!

Don't be afraid. Just to clear things up the way you wear your hair is not a BIG deal, not anymore than anywhere else. You can come over and make your own memories. Yh they would say you have good hair.

When I read your post I laughed out loud........sorry I found the bolded bit funny. I went to Jamaica on holiday in jan 08 and I saw the most varied hairstyles -wigged, weaved braided, natural and relaxed and some of the most healthy heads of hair.

At one point I wondered if the women knew about LHCF because a lot of women and schoolgirls were sporting buns which I had not seen before in my many visits Jamaica.

While visiting a beauty salon I had to try hard not to stare at a woman who had 4b below waist lenght relaxed hair. Never seen this before-only on LHCF. This womans husband was waiting for her and he was jokingly telling the stylist to cut off his wifes hair because her hair was sucking the nutrients from her body because she was too skinny with this big hair. Dont get me wrong......there are a lot of people in jamaica with damaged hair but just like the USA all kinds of styles are worn in Jamaica so you dont have to worry.

Also, even if you were rastafarian you would not have any negative problems because of that, that happened in the 50-1970s. It does not happen now. By the way- Jamaica is very hot. I braided my hair (with extensions) on one visit .....never again. It is too hot. you are better off wearing your own hair. Unless you live down South and you are used to the weather being that extremly hot. Also some Jamaicans take offense to being referred to as natives. Hope this helps

Even though I suggessted braids, ITA with the bolded.

 

[cutiebe2]

I know how the Jamaican parents can be with the natural hair stuff. My grandmother told me straight out that she didn't like my hair...and then turned around and asked me for tips for growing hers

my mom's fear is that people would see me as a "raggamuffin". A long as your hair looks neat I don't think you should hair a problem. I wouldn't wear was and go's. I would wear my hair back in a neat bun or something like that


ETA: no matter what you do there are some people who just wont like your hair. This is true in America to. Some people have accepted the dreadlock and rasta etc and some people are against it. you can't please everyone

 

[ebonylocs]

I know this is an old thread, BUT.

Your family was talking a big bag of rubbish.

I'm Jamaican.

First, NOBODY will mistake you for a Rasta, EVER! Everybody in Jamaica knows what a Rasta looks like, and your hair is not it.

Second: Natural hairstyles are quite popular in Jamaica right now. When I was living there a couple of years ago, the 2 hottest girls at my workplace were wearing their hair natural - usually in two-stranded twists, or occasioonally puffs in between. I saw many other women, young and old, trendy and executive, wearing natural hair or transitioning.

Third: Apart from the new "fashionableness" of natural hairstyles like twists, it has *long* been traditional in Jamaica for very conservative church-going ladies and girls to wear their hair natural. These ladies usually wear all types of buns and rolls. When I wore my hair natural when I was living there, the most people asked me was if I was "a Christian".

HOWEVER:
Wild and crazy hairstyles are frowned upon in Jamaica. That's because it's a small place, and everybody looks at everybody else.

But if you wear your natural hair in a bun, or two stranded twists, or cornrows, or any neat hairstyle, NOBODY WILL GIVE YOU A SECOND LOOK.

 

[RedVelvet310]

If it helps any, one of my good friends goes to Jamaica every year (shes staying in kingston this summer) and she has dreds. She's never talked about any problems that went on because she has dreds.

 

[ebonylocs]

Dang, yall have just scared me from going to Jamaica!!! I didn't know the way you wear your hair is such a big deal there!!

Read the thread again. Any Jamaican who posted said it is definitely not a big deal. OP's family are projecting.

 

[Blaque*Angel]

I know this is an old thread, BUT.

Your family was talking a big bag of rubbish.

it is a new thread

 

[ebonylocs]

it is a new thread

Oooops. Don't know where i got that impression. I thought I saw February somewhere

 

[vkb247]

HOWEVER:
Wild and crazy hairstyles are frowned upon in Jamaica. That's because it's a small place, and everybody looks at everybody else.



Hi guys

I don't live in Jamaica but I do live in Bermuda and there are many Jamaicans here, we primarily listen to (Jamaican) reggae music, and even our slang is based on patois...but anywho.

I though it was really interesting that you would say that wild and crazy hairstyles are looked down on. I think that might matter where you go or who you are around. Many places that I go Jamaicans are known for their elaborate hairstyles. Have you ever seen a session DVD (dancehall reggae)? You will see colors and styles that are unbeweaveable . I think that anything goes in JA when it comes to hair though ITA with the other ladies when they talk about respect, neat 'dos, and the good hair bad hair stuff. That's Caribbean life 4 ya.

Even in Bermuda we like styles (hair & clothes) that make us stand out in a crowd, we are an island of 60,000 people everyone and everyone watchs everyone else - can't dissapoint the fans! You can be edgy and neat and tidy! People here even iron their t-shirts!

BTW: All my best hairstylists have come from yard so big up to all my JA stylists doin big tings!

This is my first post!!!!!!!:woohoo2:

 

[cocoaluv]

HOWEVER:
Wild and crazy hairstyles are frowned upon in Jamaica. That's because it's a small place, and everybody looks at everybody else.



Hi guys

I don't live in Jamaica but I do live in Bermuda and there are many Jamaicans here, we primarily listen to (Jamaican) reggae music, and even our slang is based on patois...but anywho.

I though it was really interesting that you would say that wild and crazy hairstyles are looked down on. I think that might matter where you go or who you are around. Many places that I go Jamaicans are known for their elaborate hairstyles. Have you ever seen a session DVD (dancehall reggae)? You will see colors and styles that are unbeweaveable . I think that anything goes in JA when it comes to hair though ITA with the other ladies when they talk about respect, neat 'dos, and the good hair bad hair stuff. That's Caribbean life 4 ya.

Even in Bermuda we like styles (hair & clothes) that make us stand out in a crowd, we are an island of 60,000 people everyone and everyone watchs everyone else - can't dissapoint the fans! You can be edgy and neat and tidy! People here even iron their t-shirts!

BTW: All my best hairstylists have come from yard so big up to all my JA stylists doin big tings!

This is my first post!!!!!!!:woohoo2:

Welcome to the board

 

[vkb247]

Thanks!

You can see I've been a lurker on and off for a good minute

 

[ebonylocs]

HOWEVER:

I though it was really interesting that you would say that wild and crazy hairstyles are looked down on. I think that might matter where you go or who you are around. Many places that I go Jamaicans are known for their elaborate hairstyles. Have you ever seen a session DVD (dancehall reggae)? You will see colors and styles that are unbeweaveable . I think that anything goes in JA when it comes to hair though ITA with the other ladies when they talk about respect, neat 'dos, and the good hair bad hair stuff. That's Caribbean life 4 ya.

Yes, vkb, you are right. Really, anything goes, especially with the downtown Kingston ladies of the "dancehall queen" type.

But, if you're talking about the average middle class professional or rural ("country") Jamaicans, extreme hairstyles are a no-go. That's why I mentioned the neatness, because I assumed OP was going to be meeting older family members.

Jamaica is a country of dichotomies. SO you on one hand you have: dancehall, hyper-sexualized, flamboyant, and on the other you have church, chastity, conservativeness.

But I repeat, natural hair per se is fine. I know this firsthand. As long as it isn't sticking up all over your head (and that goes for relaxed hair as well), it's not a problem.