GETTING TO THE DEEPER ROOTS OF THE HAIR DEBATE
THE COUNTRY united in support of Pretoria High School for Girls pupils in their protest against the school’s hair policy, which required black girls to straighten their hair.
Following Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi’s intervention, the protest was halted and the school given 21 days to revise its policies. Similar protests have since erupted in schools across the country.
It is it widely accepted that a woman’s hair is her crowning glory and forms a big part of her identity.
But why is hair so important to women – and in many cases, men too?
Linda Neethling, 43, of Pretoria East, said she did her hair once every two or three months – depending on how bad it looked, spending between R800 and R1 000.
“My hair matters because it’s who I am. When you have beautiful hair you feel good, beautiful and neat.”
She highlights her hair using the foil technique and opts for grey.
“No one should judge you about your hair texture, colour and length; your hair defines you. No one should ever tell you what to do with it and how it should be,” she said.
Lynette van Eck, 31, from Eersterus, is sporting a Brazilian weave; it is 100 percent pure virgin human hair from Brazil and costs about R1 500.
Van Eck said she didn’t mind spending that much as the hairstyle made her feel good. Her sister does her hair every two weeks for free. Most of her hairstyles take about an hour to perfect.
Van Eck said women’s hair was important because it was a reflection of their identity.
“It is personal and public. Many feel a bad hair day is a bad day. When hair is dry, turning grey or falling out, your self-esteem is affected.”
Nkhensani Manyike’s hair journey took her from perm to relaxer and weave – and finally she found her signature look in natural hair.
“The whole issue with women’s hair is that it completes your look. If everything else is on point except your hair, your look is incomplete.”
The 41-year-old from Pretoria East said she grew up plaiting her hair with a sewing needle and later graduated to a perm. Her thin hair became even thinner when she used relaxers.
“When weaves started to become fashionable, I was happy that I could get those hairstyles using weaves.”
About 10 years ago, she bought a Brazilian weave for R1 500, which she said was too expensive. She resolved never to do that again.
These days she sports her natural hair, with no use of chemicals to straighten it, or an afro-like hairpiece, which she said her seven-year-old son didn’t like.
And that informed her decision to stick to natural hair.
Raeesah Manjra, 15, from Laudium, insists on blonde foil highlights for her long black hair, despite its being fully covered every day, as she attends a Muslim school.
“I like my hair long. I don’t cut it a lot and I love my colour,” Raeesah said.
Those touch-ups happen every few months, and in between she goes to the salon to have it styled.
She said her thick hair looked unruly and messy while straight hair made her look neat.
Her daily hair routine included shampooing and then conditioning her hair, followed by a detangling treatment, before she dries it.
Lerato Mashigo, 27, of Soshanguve said so serious was her love affair with her hair that she would even decline a job that required her to cover her afro-like hairstyle, which stands out, grabs attention and gets her a lot of compliments.
Mashigo said she changed her hairstyle twice a month, and the most expensive was her current afro, which cost R350. “But if I could afford it, I would get Brazilian weaves.”
As for men, it seems their hair is quickly becoming their crowning glory too.
Kagiso Phetla, 29, from Mamelodi has been growing his dreadlocks for six years and has no desire to cut them.
“I’ve liked dreads since I was young, so I did them when I was 23.”
He said it takes a lots of effort to maintain them; he pays between R150 and R300 but would gladly pay more.
Andre Green, the owner of the unisex Andre Green Hair Design, said men were increasingly opting for the comb-over hairstyle where a longer portion of the hair is combed over to one side of the head. He said many men got their hair cut at his salon every month.
Laudium salon owner Fathima Moosa said men preferred to either colour their hair or straighten it with a flat iron.
So, while Lesufi and the task team revise Pretoria High School for Girls’ policy, it is important to note that hairstyles are a big part of personal grooming and fashion. Hairstyles are also influenced by culture and popular personal choices.
Many people feel that a bad hair day is a bad day When it’s beautiful, I feel beautiful