I’m Back August 26, 2007

I’m back sooner than i expected. Considering that Dean was a category 4 hurricane(the highest being five) i thought i would be living in darkness for at least a month. But thankfully it was only a week. I have much to thank God for, the major thanks being for the fact that Dean, which was supposed to pass directly over the island changed course at the last minute, thus sparing Jamaica from its wrath. I didn’t suffer any damage from the storm but many people, especially along the south coast lost their homes and even now, a week after the storm, are without light and water.

So what was the hurricane experience like? Well the eve of the hurricane saw clear blue skies and a heavenly sunset. You would not have believed that less than 24 hours later a hurricane would be passing. I woke up on Sunday morning to the sound of rain. As the day progressed the rain started to get heavier and then the wind started to howl. I was saved from the more severe gust of winds because i am surrounded by mountains. But the gusts that came my way were frightening and i even heard reports of people feeling their cars lift off the ground. (what they were doing out in a hurricane? I do not know). I spent the majority of the hurricane in my bed, under the covers, my cat keeping me company.

On Monday i emerged to see an ackee tree lying in my back yard. That was the only damage that i suffered (No more ackees to eat!). As i made my way to work i saw that a lot of trees had blown down and there were some light posts lying across some streets.

It could have been a lot worse but God spared us once again and for that i say thank You!.

If you want to see some pictures of the aftermath of Hurricane Dean then click on the link below:

http://picasaweb.google.com/uvesedwards/DeanWasMean/photo#s5100901674326612146

On a lighter note: I’m getting my hair retightened next week sometime, so that means pictures will soon be here!!

Hurricane Dean August 18, 2007

Hey everyone,

this will be the last post for awhile as hurricane Dean approaches Jamaica. I probably won’t have light for close to a month so if you don’t see me adding anything new it’s not because I’m neglectful.

There hasn’t been anything new with my hair, except that it is looking really untidy and trashy now and i definitely need to groom it. So hopefully next week I’ll be able to do that and I’ll take pictures. I’m not posting any pictures now because my hair does not look decent and you don’t need that picture burnt into your memory.

Please keep Jamaica and all the other countries that will be affected by this hurricane in your prayers and I’ll be back soon!!!

Shrinkage August 16, 2007

Whenever I wash my hair it shrinks  a little. It reminds me of the times when after washing my pre-sisterlocks hair it would shrink all the way to the scalp. Now that I have sisterlocks however it does not shrink that much, maybe just about an inch or two. I’ve also noticed that after about a week after washing, the hair regains its natural legnth. I think this phenomenon is due to black people’s hair being naturally curly or something. (It is quite complicated).

Anyways, here’s a pic of my hair after i washed it.

I forgot to take a before pic so you have nothing to compare it with. You’ll just have to take my word for it. And another thing about washing your hair…..it gets quite soft and i love that because then my fingers don’t hurt me when i rub my fingers through it.

Long/Short Locks August 14, 2007

People often ask you how long have you had your locks. The reason i suppose is that they want to know how fast you hair has grown in the period of time.

I like my locks in this short length. Basically because it is very easy to handle and i believe that when your hair is shorter it seems to have more body.

Once again it is a matter of preference as well as the shape of your face as some people their face compliments their hair length. I am no expert but i believe that persons with long faces are suited to long hair, whereas persons with round faces are suited to shorter hair.

Please feel free to comment and enlighten me.

Rasta Men August 13, 2007

Thanks for the comment Brunsli! And yes it does get tiring having to keep on explaining to people my religious preferences.

Today’s post is going to stray from the topic of sisterlocks, but this is another issue that has been nagging me for some time. Yesterday’s post was the inspiration really.

Rastafarians often preach about things like going back to Africa and finiding their African queens. Yet, recently it seems that a lot of Rastas that i see or should i say “men with dreads” have light-skinned or white women on their arms.  I mean no offence to our light-skinned/white sisters, I’m just trying to understand. Are these men “fashion dreads” (I hate to use that term) or are they real Rastas who just appreciate a liitle brown skin.

Frankly, I feel as though these “Rastas” are giving the Rastafarian movement and true Rastafarian men a bad reputation. It makes them seem hypocritical. I of course wouldn’t have a problem with the coupling if it wasn’t so well known that Rasta men love dark women.

All i can say is to those men who say one thing and then do another, practice what you preach or get off the pulpit.

Sisterlocks=Rastafarian August 12, 2007

I’m not sure if this is due to the fact that i reside in Jamaica or do all women around the world deal with this issue?; people automatically assume you’re a rastafarian because of your hair.

Almost every day I’m approached by people who call me “Empress” and ask me what it’s like being a Rasta. Sometimes i can’t help but feel that I’m an imposter. However, it’s not as though I go around claiming to be a Rastafarian, in fact I do the opposite. And when you declare this then comes the awkward look and then they say, “Oh so you’re just a fashion dread”.

I don’t know how to react to this. I mean “fashion dread” though some people may not recognize it, is a sort of derogatory phrase. It’s just like saying “you want people to think you’re a Rasta but you don’t beleive and live your life by the teachings.”

So most times i end up saying that i just like the hairstyle cause it is easy to maintain. Of course some persons don’t beleive because apart from having locks I’m a vegetarian. But really I’m not a Rasta.

The point of this post: Your hair says a lot about who you are but it does not define you.

Sisterlocks Popularity August 11, 2007

When i first decided to get sisterlocks about 3 years ago it wasn’t as popular as it is today. Now it seems, wherever i go i must see at least one head of locks. I am somewhat put off by this because i always viewed getting sisterlocks as doing something unique. Something very few people knew about. I feel as though it is slowly gaining the status of relaxed(texturized) hair.

I should be ecstatic though that more women are sticking to their natural roots…but part of me cannot release the idea that I’m just one of a hundred perhaps even thousands. The only comfort left to me is that no two sets of sisterlocks are the same. Like your fingerprints your locks are unique. Of course you could also add your personal touch by colouring your locks, which once again may put you apart from the pack.

 Despite the amount of persons with sisterlocks however, there are still the few unenlightened, and i am proud to be part of a movement that causes persons to be proud of their heritage….proud to be black and proud to have “natty,kinky, bad hair”….

It is more of a grey issue than one of simply black or white. There are no clear-cut feelings or answers. I both hate and love the sisterlocks movement. Treasures soon reveal themselves and this one has come out of hiding.

A Cute Hairstyle August 9, 2007

I was fooling around with some hairpins when i came up with this very cute hairstyle.

 

First i parted the middle of the hair in two. To the front of the hair i folded it over and put in some hair pins to hold it in place. I left a couple of locks out in the front, but sometimes i wear it with all the hair caught up.

Then to the back of the hair i twisted upwards and put in some more hair pins.

It is a very cute style but it requires a lot of hair pins or by the middle of the day you will have to re-do it.

Brown Hair August 8, 2007

I’ve noticed recently that when locks and not only locks but also people with natural hair, when their hair gets dirty it gets this brownish colour. Different people view this in different ways. I’ve had persons come up to me and say that they love my colour and i have to tell them that i didn’t colour it. Then you have the people who say that your hair is getting dirty and you need to wash it. Even if they don’t tell you directly you can tell by the look on their face. I suppose it is a matter of preference but i prefer my hair when it is looking slightly brown because i love colour and consider it a stepping stone to getting more vibrant colour.

Get Your Hand Out of Your Hair! August 6, 2007

How do you stop yourself from playing in your locks? That’s a question i want answered myself. I do not know what makes me play with my hair. I mean my hand is in my hair 90% of the day. I’ve tried putting my hair in one but all i do is play with the locks in the front.

I’ve already lost two locks. I do not know if it was due to the fact that the middle of the locks were thinning. But i know for sure that it was because i played with the thinning locks why it popped out of my head. i was so shocked to see my hair lying in my hand like that.

I have another lock that is thinning in the middle and I’m trying my hardest not to play with it as i cannot handle losing another lock but can we stop the inevitable?