Black Identity
Culture
What is culture? Culture is the shared values, beliefs, behaviours, food, celebrations, practices, and language of a group of people.
Many people (regardless of their background) participate in visible aspects of Black culture, for example, music, dress, and food. Many people do not know or understand the deep invisible culture attached to the Black culture that they participate in today. Consider two examples: braids and cornrows.
Braids
Braids trace back 5000 years in African culture. Most notably, the Himba people of Namibia used braid styles to indicate marital, financial and social status. The styles were very intricate and took a long time to complete. Elders would teach younger generations to braid and explain the meaning of the different styles.
During the slave trade era, enslaved women would continue the tradition of braiding not only to keep ties to their culture, but also to communicate messages of liberation and routes to freedom.
Cornrows
Cornrows got their name because many Africans enslaved in continental America laboured in corn fields. In the Caribbean, the style is more commonly known as canerows because the enslaved populations worked in sugar cane fields.
Hair stylings have been a way that Black people communicate important messages and express themselves. Nonetheless, Black hair has often been viewed as dirty and unprofessional by racists throughout history. Here is one example:
NJ high school wrestler forced to cut dreadlocks December 21, 2018: Andrew Johnson was reportedly forced to cut his hair this week before competing in a match in an incident that has stirred questions about whether race was involved in the decision.
Watch the following video for the full story:
Dreadlocks possess a rich heritage and have been present in many cultures and civilizations across thousands of years. Also known as locs, dreadlocks have spiritual significance, symbolize freedom, and are an expression of cultural identity. Thus, wearing this hairstyle as a joke or a costume is disrespectful and harmful.
