Good Hair

As I was growing up, I would often hear people; mostly African American females talk about hair. The god compare hair, to the female, hair is very important to her. They take pride in their hair. Many conversations about hair have come up as I was going through school. The hottest topics about hair were the “good hair” conversation. What is good hair?! Is there a thing as bad hair? To some, good hair is long straight hair. To others, its curly hair, the kind that often comes from people who are mixed. Sometime if an interracial couple were to walk past, one may here a somewhat ignorant remark such as “Their baby is going to have that good hair.” In high school, if a male were to have thicker, nappy hair, it would be bad hair. If one were to have slicker, softer, wavy hair, it would be deemed good hair. Bell Hooks spoke on this issue and how she believed that many people were changing their hair and hair methods to confirm to what white America was doing. I disagree; I see great diversity amongst hair styles as far as African Americans. Many people have different opinions on what is good hair. Even in Chris Rock's documentary on good hair, it came to be that everyone had different opinions on what good hair was. To some, it was nautural hair, to some it was permed, to others it was the indian hair. We are all different individuals with different taste, that is what makes us all so great.

Disconnection from a culture

From my readings in Revelations and my own personal experience from being around African American’s for the majority of my life, I have learned that many African Americans do not know much about their African heritage. Many African American feel distant and unsure about their African history. Many African Americans only know of Africa from what they perceive through the media. The Jungle, lions, and uncivilized people are all common connotations that come with Africa, be it negative or positive. Most African Americans do not know or fail to understand that Africa is so much more than the golden sun and the jungle. A poem from Heritage by Countee Cullen expresses what Africa is to her. She states some common connotations such as the “Copper sun or scarlet sea. Jungle star or jungle track” she then goes on to say that “One three centuries removed from the scenes his father loved, spicy grove, cinnamon tree, what is Africa to me?” She is saying that she is so far removed from her African roots that she isn’t quite sure what Africa is or is supposed to mean to her, she just knows what she sees from other means, not necessarily from first hand exposure. South African activist Steve Biko suggested that it is not only the African American that is confused about their culture, but it is the Africans as well! He stated “One realizes that there is so much confusion sown, not only amongst casual non-African readers, but even amongst Africans themselves, that perhaps a sincere attempt should be made at emphasizing the authentic cultural aspects of the African people by Africans.”