Long hair sightings in Africa

[almond eyes]

Dear Ladies,

I travelled to Addis Ababa last year and the majority of women regardless of their skin colour, hair texture, relaxed or natural had long hair (SL or longer). Ethiopian women who I saw with damaged hair (in the minority) either were dyeing it or it was because they had been wearing tiny braid extensions. I was gobsmacked and really in awe at the lengths.

In Rwanda, where I lived for three years, I saw many natural afros and long haired relaxed and naturals. What was their secret? no dye jobs, stretched relaxers, and stuck to blow drying with the tension method and wet sets.

An African male friend of mine was talking about the issue of hair and I was curious and asked him so what was the fascination with black women and long hair (no extensions and regardless of the texture, natural, relaxer or locked). He broke it down, he said black women don't know what a gold mine they have in their hair. Afro hair looks much better when it is longer and even other races admire a African/Black woman with long hair even more than European or Asian Women with long hair. Afro long hair is striking and powerful he said.

It had me thinking. I have been normally wearing my extensions and weaves since I moved to West Africa. The majority of women here wear fake hair. And when they remove the fake hair I know why they slap it back on as the majority have damaged hair a chewed edges. An acquaintance of mine at a party laughed when I saw her in a new weave that she had officially joined the chewed down edges club like her mother's generation that lost their hair due to over relaxing and too tight braids. While it was funny, I thought was it really something to laugh about joining a secret club for African women with damaged hair. Another one bites the dust to permanent alopecia.

I went to my hair salon and I decided to remove my braid extensions and wear my own hair from now on. I've done it before but always seemed to run back when I got a hair set back. I was one of the lucky few who still have my edges and collarbone length hair (which for me is long as I have a long neck). I realised what am I doing? I have hair and if I am not careful I would soon join that secret club.

My ah ha moment came when I went to a party last week and I rocked my real hair in a bun chignon. Most of the women wore very long weaves. I noticed the quiet stares from the women like, "Oh I thought she was part of the damaged hair club, gee." And I had lots of male attention (apparently, fake hair makes me look older and less approchable). I decided that I want to be more dedicated to taking care of my hair and be patient with the process of growing my hair long and appreciate what God has given me.

Best,
Almond Eyes

 

[SophieDulce]

I traveled to Ghana about 3 years ago, I noticed the majority of women either had weaves or braids. The only ones who wore the real hair out were school girls, and most had to keep a short haircut because of the school rules. This could be why I didn't see a lot of young women with long hair because they had to keep a short hair cute for so long.

I have a lot of east african friends and not just Ethiopian or Eritrean. also Kenyan, Tanzanian ect. and they all have long hair, I think it has to do with them braiding there hair since little girls, most of the women I know have never cut their hair or had a relaxer and the ones that did usually had damaged hair.

There moms would wash and braid and keep in for like 2 weeks, and repeat.. basically did the unofficial protective styling...

 

[Darenia]

Thank you for sharing your experience and "ah ha" moment.

 

[larry3344]

thats cool Ii wish sommeone would take pics when in africa of hair on women that would be so cool

 

[Guitarhero]

Well, even here in the Americas...certain types of looser textures achieve long hair easier. 4'ish hair is the most difficult hair to retain. What do you mean by the fascination with long hair among Blacks? You mean others wishing to see it on us...or we ourselves wanting longer hair? People have diff. cultures. All the women of my family had very long hair...I mean, hip-length and beyond. It's only recently folks are tearing it up with chemicals and whatnot...yet, we still have long hair...maybe not as long, though. It's culture for some. Shrugs. But I do like the comment from that man...

Glad you had a nice trip!!!!! You went all over ...so many cannot do that cuz of the costs...more $$ to traverse AFrica than to go to Europe. Damned shame...but you got East and West. Brava!!!!! I'd love to do the same soon.

 

[lalla]

In Cameroun, a lot of women had thick and over SL hair. I saw once (at the pool) a girl with a waist length 4b braid. So gorgeous!

I know there's a village close to Tombouctou where everyone (men and women) sport huge afros. Never been there but heard about it.

In Senegal the hair situation is awful. Too many bad practices, like burning small hairs after braiding... Looks definitely trumps health there.

 

[almond eyes]

I would like to say that I am West African for the record. My great grandmother and grandmother and mother who have 4a/4b hair never had a problem retaining length and Mum said that when she was growing up, that it was rare to see a woman with short hair (unless it was shaved) cutting and chemicals were not encouraged. My mother said that 4ish hair is not difficult to maintain unless it is damaged then it can become hell on wheels. I always had lots of hair as a kid and never thought that my 4ish hair was hard to maintain until my mother damaged my hair growing up with incorrect use of chemicals. I think yes 4ish hair is more fragile but not difficult to retain hair if cared for properly.

Many of the African cultures, cutting a woman's hair just wasn't done or encouraged like most cultures. Most of the shaved heads on African women were done for ceremonial reasons and then they were fitted with wigs, or for women who come from places where there is a lack of water to maintain the hair or because they were in boarding school where hair was shaved to prevent the spread of lice.

When I was in Addis Ababa, many of the non-Ethiopian African men were fascinated by the Ethiopian women and mostly because of their long hair not over knowing them or looking at their faces properly. I just find that interesting that one simple thing such as long hair can turn a man into jelly. Hair is a powerful asset whether we like it or not.

When I say fascination that our hair is very striking when long and when you see a black woman with long hair and you see a white woman with long hair, who do you think will get the second glance?

Best,
Almond Eyes

 

[yorkpatties]

In Senegal the hair situation is awful. Too many bad practices, like burning small hairs after braiding... Looks definitely trumps health there.

Many of the braiders in Harlem are from Senegal and still use this hair practice. A few years ago I had braids and this woman came at my head with a lighter when she was done and I told her to GTFOH!


I am happy to hear that many ladies have thriving natural hair in the motherland. All I ever hear about are them wearing weaves and using bleaching creams and other assorted tomfoolery, this is a nice story. Thank you.

 

[almond eyes]

That's how I lost a lot of my hair two years ago. I was desperate to get my natural hair SL when stretched hair braided. I met this lady on the street in Harlem from Senegal and she led me to her salon. She popped open an assortment of strange looking synthetic hair. I didn't even think she had braided that tight until a month later when my hair went from SL to two inches. I lived in Senegal too and over there they like it sleek and neat. Neat hair means very tight micro braids with not a hair out of place or relaxers slicked down like a cat.

Best,
Almond Eyes

 

[FearlessNik]

Can someone explain the reasoning for school aged girls to have short hair as well? I have heard this a few times before, but no one I know could explain it.

 

[jerseygurl]

Can someone explain the reasoning for school aged girls to have short hair as well? I have heard this a few times before, but no one I know could explain it.

Same reason why they wear a uniform, so everyone looks the same. When you get to college level then you can do whatever you want to your hair. But it depends on the school you attend though, public schools and some religious schools have that rule while most private schools do not.

As far as long hair sightings, I think it depends on the region you go to. I'm Nigerian and for the most part all you see are weaved up heads, relaxers and braids. You rarely see women showing their real hair. And you do not want to see their real hair, most of them have chewed up edges and dry, breaking hair because they don't take care of it.

 

[almond eyes]

My god brother's two daughters in Senegal had very short hair, kept in very tightly small cornrows (no extensions) that were washed once a month. I would tell the mother, wow those braids are tight that must be very hard on the scalp and hair couldn't grow much. The poor girls already had chewed up hairlines at 5 and 7. The mother said that oh their hair was too coarse to do anything else and it needed to be braided as tightly as possible.

Best,
Almond Eyes

 

[longhairdreaming]

I remember our hair braider in Kansas burning the small hairs when she was done...ugh I hated getting my hair done. Between her millions of screaming kids, tight braids and burning my hair I'm surprised I have any hair left on my head. She was Black American though. Now I'm from West Africa and I've heard stories of my grandmother and her long thick hair. She had natural hair that she washed and kept her hair in two french braids pinned up. She also never let anyone play in her hair. My mother always had SL or longer hair then she discovered the flat iron and it all went down hill a few years ago. The rest of us tend to be very scissor happy...though I'm recovered And yes hair is a powerful attraction for most men, I didn't understand that when I was younger but now I get it.
FearlessNik I've always been told that allowing the girls to have long hair was a distraction from their main purpose of being in school.

 

[FearlessNik]

Thanks! That seems a little extreme to take being uniform to a hair level. But I respect the laws of the country. Here in America ratchett mom's/ kids complain because they can't wear the purple finger waves on the left, Cassie Mohawk in the middle, with an 'I <3 u shaved on the right side.

 

[Guitarhero]

One thing I noticed back in undergrad, almost all the African women who came to the states began losing hair and most thought it was the hard water. This might explain some of what people experience when they come to the States. The weather is very harsh. I've heard the same with Africans and Black Americans going to Germany to live...hard water and very dry air.

 

[Ogoma]

Wonderful post OP.

I am Nigerian and my paternal grandmother had very long hair. She kept it in one long braid and it was down to her waist. My mother had long, dense, healthy 4b hair until her brother convinced her to relax it in the 80s. It has all gone downhill from there. My mother has struggled with her hair constantly since then. She is now battling her edges and finally cut off her hair and is growing it "natural". I use natural in quotes because she is still addicted to braids and weaves, and I am not certain the weaves are being installed the right way. I sent her JBCO and asked her to rub it on her edges and got her into henna since she has fine hair. I need to do some research on here to give her more tips because her hair really gets her down. I don't know when we lost the knowledge on how to care for our hair or why we let it happen.

 

[jerseygurl]

One thing I noticed back in undergrad, almost all the African women who came to the states began losing hair and most thought it was the hard water. This might explain some of what people experience when they come to the States. The weather is very harsh. I've heard the same with Africans and Black Americans going to Germany to live...hard water and very dry air.

You know I went through this same thing when I moved here. I had to totally change my hair care game. I had to keep my hair short for years cos I wasn't retaining until I found ultra black hair and Cathy Howes in 2004

 

[jerseygurl]

Wonderful post OP.

I am Nigerian and my paternal grandmother had very long hair. She kept it in one long braid and it was down to her waist. My mother had long, dense, healthy 4b hair until her brother convinced her to relax it in the 80s. It has all gone downhill from there. My mother has struggled with her hair constantly since then. She is now battling her edges and finally cut off her hair and is growing it "natural". I use natural in quotes because she is still addicted to braids and weaves, and I am not certain the weaves are being installed the right way. I sent her JBCO and asked her to rub it on her edges and got her into henna since she has fine hair. I need to do some research on here to give her more tips because her hair really gets her down. I don't know when we lost the knowledge on how to care for our hair or why we let it happen.

This!! It's a shame that we even have to struggle to care for our hair. I remember when I used to get my hair threaded or corn rowed every two weeks and I would wash every month. My hair really thrived until I got into relaxers and wanted to keep the same regimen

 

[greenandchic]

One thing I noticed back in undergrad, almost all the African women who came to the states began losing hair and most thought it was the hard water. This might explain some of what people experience when they come to the States. The weather is very harsh. I've heard the same with Africans and Black Americans going to Germany to live...hard water and very dry air.

I wonder what states/regions they are referring to. Being from the Bay Area and now living in PDX, I've never experienced hard water. Even visiting other areas, I don't remember washing my hair (used to go up to two weeks without washing) to experience that. Dry air and harsh winters can definitely be a factor.

 

[Guitarhero]

I wonder what states/regions they are referring to. Being from the Bay Area and now living in PDX, I've never experienced hard water. Even visiting other areas, I don't remember washing my hair (used to go up to two weeks without washing) to experience that. Dry air and harsh winters can definitely be a factor.

Much colder and drier areas. I'm from the Mid-west and although it's very humid in summer, we had many more colder, drier months. Most people coming from warmer or milder areas or tropical had problems, especially with the hard water. S.F. is such a small area compared to the rest of the States and this hard-a$$ed crap we call water. You're still coastal...but the more inland you get, that's where you get all this dry air etc. My hair always grew fast and I could retain the length, but I did go through a period of not taking care of my hair. But when I lived in the Caribbean, it was so easy...even for my nails...no hand-nails. Folks who know me know it's true...that 1 inch per month growth for hair on average here was 3 inches monthly there. And I don't have thyroid issues either.

 

[greenandchic]

Much colder and drier areas. I'm from the Mid-west and although it's very humid in summer, we had many more colder, drier months. Most people coming from warmer or milder areas or tropical had problems, especially with the hard water. S.F. is such a small area compared to the rest of the States and this hard-a$$ed crap we call water. You're still coastal...but the more inland you get, that's where you get all this dry air etc. My hair always grew fast and I could retain the length, but I did go through a period of not taking care of my hair. But when I lived in the Caribbean, it was so easy...even for my nails...no hand-nails. Folks who know me know it's true...that 1 inch per month growth for hair on average here was 3 inches monthly there. And I don't have thyroid issues either.

That is a dramatic difference!

 

[Zawaj]

In Cameroun, a lot of women had thick and over SL hair. I saw once (at the pool) a girl with a waist length 4b braid. So gorgeous!

I know there's a village close to Tombouctou where everyone (men and women) sport huge afros. Never been there but heard about it.

In Senegal the hair situation is awful. Too many bad practices, like burning small hairs after braiding... Looks definitely trumps health there.

I have to say the same goes for neighboring The Gambia. I saw a lot of unfortunate hair practices and uncared for hair.

 

[sarel]

Can someone explain the reasoning for school aged girls to have short hair as well? I have heard this a few times before, but no one I know could explain it.

Same reason why they wear a uniform, so everyone looks the same. When you get to college level then you can do whatever you want to your hair. But it depends on the school you attend though, public schools and some religious schools have that rule while most private schools do not.

Exactly. In addition, the students have less to worry about/focus on. No hair to do. No clothes to pick out. Just focus on school.

 

[greenandchic]

Exactly. In addition, the students have less to worry about/focus on. No hair to do. No clothes to pick out. Just focus on school.

Thinking out loud: I wonder if that would work over here...

 

[Kindheart]

To be honest i dont think black women with long hair are any more striking that those with short(er) hair .I think what make us so beautiful is our features,hair is an adornment ,to some is an enhancer,as long as it's healthy it's beautiful.

 

[Ogoma]

^^^^^^^
As I currently have shorter hair, I would like to say a big thank you. Your comment made me smile and check out my reflection on the monitor

 

[candy626]

There are definitely African nations where long hair is common. Cape Verdeans tend to have longer hair with various textures between type 2 and type 4. Waist length hair is not uncommon nor the norm necessarily.

 

[My Friend]

Thinking out loud: I wonder if that would work over here...

I'm not sure if I would agree with it. Asians are considered focus and they have long hair. I think because 4b hair is dry, damaged and broken it looks horrible. If those same girls had long hair by the time they went to first grade ( 5 years) they could be bsl, mbl, or wsl and sport buns/ponies until they graduate from high school. Imagine having moisturized hair in a bun for 12
years

 

[almond eyes]

Yes, 4a/4b hair looks very bad when it is dry, damaged and broken as I have been there before. And no amount of good face will change that. But your good friends will be there to console you and say, "well it's the inside that counts."

Best,
Almond Eyes

 

[Uniqzoe]

The mother said that oh their hair was too coarse to do anything else and it needed to be braided as tightly as possible.

Best,
Almond Eyes

^^^This makes me sad. I have a Nigerian friend who doesn't know what to do with her daughter's hair also. I have offered to help but I also do want to offend her or over step my bounds. My friend recently big chopped herself and she looks FAB but is also afraid of what to do as it gets longer and WNGs are the staple style.