Struggle, the word describing the dilemma that many African girls had to go through when it came to maintaining their so called bushy hair. Often it is a composition of knots (tied end), its kinky and afro-like (comes in huge volume) thus time consuming to deal with.
Weekends spelt stones ablaze, one never had to wonder what cooking stones was as the objects turned into hair straightening tools. Having grown up in the outskirts of Mkwasine Estate in Chiredzi that was the norm of the day, stones and a wholesome application of Vaseline on the hair, to straighten it.
It is safe to argue that African women have been ‘managing’ their hair long before the whole advent of using Relaxers.
A very interesting trend has been shaping up in Zimbabwe that has seen women diverting from the former norm of relaxed hair to rocking their natural hairstyles and vice versa. We took to the streets of Harare and asked everyday women to tell us their hair stories and were overwhelmed with various myths that are generally associated with the African natural hair.
Cutting hair to some women is often associated with religious faith, “The Johanne Masowe eChishanu religion requires that women wear their hair short (brush cut) and in its natural state, that is why I chose to keep natural hair” narrated Madzimai Esnath who is affiliated to the sect. it is quite obvious that religion plays a crucial role when it comes to women and their hair
Sharon, a 19 year old student, with braided hair, she went with the relaxed hair do because according to her “hair grows faster” when relaxed since kinky hair shrinks when shampooed. Sharon is one amongst many other women who relax their hair in order to increase the hair length.
“I do not like my hair color.” said Elaine a relaxed retail woman, Elaine noticed that her hair gets a darker color which she fancies unlike her boring light brown color she has when her hair is natural.
Lia is one of the many women who go for the relaxed look because of its manageable nature,” I have relaxed hair because it is easy to maintain”, she said.
Patience (Main image) a vendor on one of the Harare streets, highlighted that if there were certified products for natural hair care she would keep her natural look because she loves natural hair, however since she has not been in contact with these products she decided to relax because her hair is difficult to comb.
