Dreadlock personality - outer beauty, inner strength

Nasty, ugly, unkempt, dirty .... even in 2011 dreadlocks retain a negative and non-conformist reputation.

It saddens me that dreadlocks  remain shackled to what American society deems negative and that society’s mindset overshadows their strength and beauty. However, I accept that as a character charm; a controversial nature that I find attractive.

They are different; they don’t fit into the mainstream; they require a more evolved level of understanding and acceptance; and they require a level of courage to stand out, alone if necessary.

The strength of their nature is what builds strength in the person who grow locks. And for this reason, I don’t accept the interpretation that the “dread” part of the word means “dreadful” or that the wearer of dreadlocks should be feared. For a creation with such personality, I find neither of the explanations accurate or acceptable today. However, it wouldn't be fair to their history if I didn't add that the history of dreadlocks is one of deep, spiritual culture and rebellion that dates back to the fifth century. In the 1930's, when Italy invaded Ethiopia, Prince Ras Tafari, the emporer at the time was forced into exile and his followers vowed not to cut their hair until his reinstatement. Rastafarianism (from Prince Ras Tafari) influenced the Jamaican culture as a united front against the British regime at the time, rebelling against oppression by locking their hair and promoting their own doctrine. Dreadlocks were viewed as dreadful and Rastafarians accepted that view. I respect the Rastafarians for standing up for themselves and showing us how to love who we are, and am grateful that they paved a path. So, I don't feel the need to promote the "dread" in dreadlocks as a fight.

Also, the term "dreads" or the phrase ".... dread you hair" has no meaning to me. People use both freely but neither define the locking process in my opinion, though I realize that how the word is used is personal choice.

Far from being dreadful, dreadlocks are a commitment; a choice that will help you reach the core of your strengths if you allow the process.

Dreadlocks are simplicity at its best. No need for a comb, brush, hair products, ironing or curling utensils or expensive salon fees. With a lot of patience and understanding dreadlocks will form and grow into healthy, long ropes.

A dreadlock is formed when hair is left alone to follow its natural direction. When curly hair strands aren't forced to straighten in a particular direction, they will band together and eventually section themselves into locks. The wearer can either leave them alone to grow and lock or help them with a palm-twisting process.

For a person with kinky, or very tight curls like unprocessed African-American hair, the locking process will happen naturally over time without commercial hair products. For people with straighter strands, the process will require the use of bonding agents to get the hair strands to mat together.

The natural characteristic of dreadlocks is what attracted me the most. Since I was a teen, I’ve taken my hair through a process: hot-ironing it to make it straight; relaxing it to make it straighter; then I finally decided to go natural. The decision was liberating. I didn’t just choose a hairstyle, but a lifestyle of positive energy and spiritual awakening. Embracing the natural strength, vitality and longevity of dreadlocks has opened my mind to a more natural way of life; and consequently a stronger connection to my inner spirit.

Making the commitment to lock my hair meant that I had to slow down and learn patience. It took a full six weeks for my hair to START locking. I had to learn to live with my hair's natural state - frizzy, unruly and rebellious; unwilling to lay down or be tamed; the exact opposite of American society’s concept of beauty.

I also learned to open my mind. In a book called, “Dreads” there are pictures of people from Indian, Asian and White American cultures who have locked their straight hair using a variety of bonding methods. While I accept that anyone can lock their hair if they choose, I’m more attracted to locks formed naturally with curly hair. The good thing about dreadlocks is that their beauty isn’t merely strand deep.

Beauty comes in various sizes, shapes and styles – and so it is for dreadlocks. People lock their hair for different reasons: spiritual, health, style, or just plain neglect. I locked my for health reasons that have evolved into a stronger appreciation for patience, commitment and spiritual awakening in my life. I keep my locks clean and well-groomed but everyone with locks doesn’t need that much diligence. Therefore, some dreadlocks will be extra frizzy; some will sport lint balls from bedding; and with others, a thick new growth will make the hair puffy near the scalp. It is all personal choice.

Dreadlocks will probably never fit into the mainstream of life – particularly not as long as beauty continues to be a European-based concept. But that’s okay. They weren’t meant to fit in.