Nigeria : Curls allowed? No, say Nigerian women, who give it to you straight

blackeyes

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May 14, 2003
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Hair salons thrive as natural or 'village' hair is deemed unfashionable and unlikely to attract rich and successful suitors

-In a world of dramatically contrasting poverty and wealth, it's a rare common denominator: the one social status symbol of choice that cuts across Nigeria's vast class and culture groups is hair extensions. And the longer and straighter, the better.

-Nigeria's love affair with human hair extensions emerged, via the US, back in the mid-1990s. Then, a handful of boutiques such as Aunty Funmi's sold imported extensions priced in dollars, highlighting those wealthy enough to afford them. Locals still call expensive extensions "Funmi" hair.

-Costs vary from $300–$800 (£194 –£515) and beyond – a third of the average person's salary — and depends on the origins: Russian manes are particularly sought after for their blond hues but "only celebrities can afford it", while Peruvian hair is catching on quick. The most expensive,remy, is hair that's been "remitted" — offered by Indian women at temples. "It all comes from one person's head only and it's the most valuable thing that Indians have, so they give it to God as a thank you," said Bellow.

Such hair is always retailed in long bunches, increasing its price as it's sold by the inch. "If your hair is short and you go to the temple, they will just take a razor to it — [it's] no use. God isn't interested by this short hair. God wants the one that takes two years to reach your bum-bum, that is well looked after and strong," said Bellow.
So, apparently, do millions of Nigerian women with money to spend. But for some, the translation of breakneck economic growth into designer hair is little to celebrate. "It's like a hangover from the colonial days when the ideal was a woman with long straightened hair, the black woman's equivalent of a blond bombshell. And it's like the further away we move from that ideal, the less beautiful we are," said Akinrede.
Natural Nigerian points out exceptions: "Black American women can wear their hair natural in Nigeria. They'll be forgiven for it because they're seen as exotic creatures."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/201...an-women-straight?fb=native&CMP=FBCNETTXT9038

SMH

 
Hair salons thrive as natural or 'village' hair is deemed unfashionable and unlikely to attract rich and successful suitors

-In a world of dramatically contrasting poverty and wealth, it's a rare common denominator: the one social status symbol of choice that cuts across Nigeria's vast class and culture groups is hair extensions. And the longer and straighter, the better.

-Nigeria's love affair with human hair extensions emerged, via the US, back in the mid-1990s. Then, a handful of boutiques such as Aunty Funmi's sold imported extensions priced in dollars, highlighting those wealthy enough to afford them. Locals still call expensive extensions "Funmi" hair.

-Costs vary from $300–$800 (£194 –£515) and beyond – a third of the average person's salary — and depends on the origins: Russian manes are particularly sought after for their blond hues but "only celebrities can afford it", while Peruvian hair is catching on quick. The most expensive,remy, is hair that's been "remitted" — offered by Indian women at temples. "It all comes from one person's head only and it's the most valuable thing that Indians have, so they give it to God as a thank you," said Bellow.

Such hair is always retailed in long bunches, increasing its price as it's sold by the inch. "If your hair is short and you go to the temple, they will just take a razor to it — [it's] no use. God isn't interested by this short hair. God wants the one that takes two years to reach your bum-bum, that is well looked after and strong," said Bellow.
So, apparently, do millions of Nigerian women with money to spend. But for some, the translation of breakneck economic growth into designer hair is little to celebrate. "It's like a hangover from the colonial days when the ideal was a woman with long straightened hair, the black woman's equivalent of a blond bombshell. And it's like the further away we move from that ideal, the less beautiful we are," said Akinrede.
Natural Nigerian points out exceptions: "Black American women can wear their hair natural in Nigeria. They'll be forgiven for it because they're seen as exotic creatures."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/201...an-women-straight?fb=native&CMP=FBCNETTXT9038

SMH

Wow!

but if I didn't see this in that Chris Rock film, I don't think I would believe what I just read. Now it's seems at first, amazing to see this going on in Nigeria and probably so many other places too now, and now i realize and believe that a lot of this stuff is happening due to some influences that have actually come from America!--and Black African Americans over here of whom 'we' have been so exploited and now used to push these ideals back on other countries and people in Africa and everywhere! Man! We are being exploited like crazy! It's like they are using us over here to feed the economical systems throughout the world to go in the European direction of control! I don't think many of us realize though that there is nothing new undert the sun and this is a magnified repetition of the ancient Celts and other indigenous peoples that limed their hair thousands of years ago. Because we have been tricked to believe that the Celts are all White Europeans, we can't recognize other truths from the distant past. We have been made to 'uncover our locks and pass over the river' during slavery times and the Slave Ship Era, and now they want us to cover them back up again and support the worldwide straight hair economy!--And 'we' are doing it!--again!

I saw in that film, Good Hair, how those Indian women went to their temples, prayed, and gave up their hair...to be sent to the Black African women who then worships this straight hair...Why!? Because some of us, I believe, have been systematically pressured and so persecuted terribly by others and even our own people into feeling rejected for having our own natural hair. So we have been pressured into a worldwide system of elevating this crap, and thereby funding straight hair people and giving them a cause to form some kind of insane religious basis and of believing that they have 'good hair'...nevertheless the Creator is the one who gave us this incredibly beautiful natural afro-typed hair. I was so shocked to see actresses on that Chris Rock film, Good Hair, say some of the things that they did, but I appreciate their willingness to make this documentary film because I believe a record of this needs to be made to date this oppression. I believe these kinds of exposures do lead to some great results eventually. It might help us Black African people to snap out of a stupor one day and turn this insanity around. The one actress that lingered on my mind was, I think her name is Nia Long[?] and I remember how she admitted to wanting straight hair. It is so sad. I remember her in an early film and she had short hair and she look so pretty. I think the movie was Fridays. she has such a pretty face and features and would look so awesome even if she added afro-typed extensions that gave her a natural appearance too. But because celebrity women like her don't push for these kind of natural extensions to be manufactured and propagandized, they don't exist. If high powered Black African women with the money would get together and push these kind of things, I believe it would make a difference but nevertheless, it's going to happen one day anyway, and they will be left out when that time comes...

because this trick won't last forever. It's only a matter of time...

anyway, I like this post! Thanks for posting.

edited
 
In the Spirit of Sankofa,

.......
A-vendor-displays-some-ha-006.jpg

Nigeria's love affair with human hair extensions emerged, via the US, back in the mid-1990s. Then, a handful of boutiques such as Aunty Funmi's sold imported extensions priced in dollars, highlighting those wealthy enough to afford them. Locals still call expensive extensions "Funmi" hair.
Now it's no longer reserved for the rich, extensions are worn by market women and students, part of Africa's growing middle class.

Peace In,

Hair salons thrive as natural or 'village' hair is deemed unfashionable and unlikely to attract rich and successful suitors

-In a world of dramatically contrasting poverty and wealth, it's a rare common denominator: the one social status symbol of choice that cuts across Nigeria's vast class and culture groups is hair extensions. And the longer and straighter, the better.

-Nigeria's love affair with human hair extensions emerged, via the US, back in the mid-1990s. Then, a handful of boutiques such as Aunty Funmi's sold imported extensions priced in dollars, highlighting those wealthy enough to afford them. Locals still call expensive extensions "Funmi" hair.

-Costs vary from $300–$800 (£194 –£515) and beyond – a third of the average person's salary — and depends on the origins: Russian manes are particularly sought after for their blond hues but "only celebrities can afford it", while Peruvian hair is catching on quick. The most expensive,remy, is hair that's been "remitted" — offered by Indian women at temples. "It all comes from one person's head only and it's the most valuable thing that Indians have, so they give it to God as a thank you," said Bellow.

Such hair is always retailed in long bunches, increasing its price as it's sold by the inch. "If your hair is short and you go to the temple, they will just take a razor to it — [it's] no use. God isn't interested by this short hair. God wants the one that takes two years to reach your bum-bum, that is well looked after and strong," said Bellow.
So, apparently, do millions of Nigerian women with money to spend. But for some, the translation of breakneck economic growth into designer hair is little to celebrate. "It's like a hangover from the colonial days when the ideal was a woman with long straightened hair, the black woman's equivalent of a blond bombshell. And it's like the further away we move from that ideal, the less beautiful we are," said Akinrede.
Natural Nigerian points out exceptions: "Black American women can wear their hair natural in Nigeria. They'll be forgiven for it because they're seen as exotic creatures."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/201...an-women-straight?fb=native&CMP=FBCNETTXT9038

SMH
 
Wow!

but if I didn't see this in that Chris Rock film, I don't think I would believe what I just read. Now it's seems at first, amazing to see this going on in Nigeria and probably so many other places too now, and now i realize and believe that a lot of this stuff is happening due to some influences that have actually come from America!--and Black African Americans over here of whom 'we' have been so exploited and now used to push these ideals back on other countries and people in Africa and everywhere! Man! We are being exploited like crazy! It's like they are using us over here to feed the economical systems throughout the world to go in the European direction of control! I don't think many of us realize though that there is nothing new undert the sun and this is a magnified repetition of the ancient Celts and other indigenous peoples that limed their hair thousands of years ago. Because we have been tricked to believe that the Celts are all White Europeans, we can't recognize other truths from the distant past. We have been made to 'uncover our locks and pass over the river' during slavery times and the Slave Ship Era, and now they want us to cover them back up again and support the worldwide straight hair economy!--And 'we' are doing it!--again!

I saw in that film, Good Hair, how those Indian women went to their temples, prayed, and gave up their hair...to be sent to the Black African women who then worships this straight hair...Why!? Because some of us, I believe, have been systematically pressured and so persecuted terribly by others and even our own people into feeling rejected for having our own natural hair. So we have been pressured into a worldwide system of elevating this crap, and thereby funding straight hair people and giving them a cause to form some kind of insane religious basis and of believing that they have 'good hair'...nevertheless the Creator is the one who gave us this incredibly beautiful natural afro-typed hair. I was so shocked to see actresses on that Chris Rock film, Good Hair, say some of the things that they did, but I appreciate their willingness to make this documentary film because I believe a record of this needs to be made to date this oppression. I believe these kinds of exposures do lead to some great results eventually. It might help us Black African people to snap out of a stupor one day and turn this insanity around. The one actress that lingered on my mind was, I think her name is Nia Long[?] and I remember how she admitted to wanting straight hair. It is so sad. I remember her in an early film and she had short hair and she look so pretty. I think the movie was Fridays. she has such a pretty face and features and would look so awesome even if she added afro-typed extensions that gave her a natural appearance too. But because celebrity women like her don't push for these kind of natural extensions to be manufactured and propagandized, they don't exist. If high powered Black African women with the money would get together and push these kind of things, I believe it would make a difference but nevertheless, it's going to happen one day anyway, and they will be left out when that time comes...

because this trick won't last forever. It's only a matter of time...

anyway, I like this post! Thanks for posting.

edited

I understand your frustration, but if we are to move ahead we have to be honest with how we feel on sensitive issues.

I myself wonder why black women have to be pushed in a corner. White women use perms to make their hair curly... why can't bw do the same to make theirs straight? Why can't they put in a weave if they want long hair for a day? Again, this behavior is no different from non-blacks, who will even admit they have weaves.

We have the choice to wear our hair as we choose... curly, straight, kinky and braided. I think this should be remembered WHILE encouraging pride in oneself.

Of course, I'm not saying that the Nigerians are right to be paying $800 on fake hair, but I am saying that black women should have the freedom of choice. No other race judges their women's loyalty by what hairstyle they choose, so why should we?
 

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