Terminology philosophy...

What do you call your hair? Do you call it dreadlocks, dreads, locks, hair-sticks, etc.? Why do you call it that?

It seems that most of you tend to call your hair dreadlocks.

I cannot call my hair that; if you'll read my posts, you'll see that I refer to my hair as locks. I want to explain my point of view on this, as well as maybe start a debate about proper terminology. As an important caveat, I want you to know that I do not judge you for what you say, I can only judge myself, and so I carefully measure my words.


Dreadlocks are Rasta. It is their unique, cultural expression of their connection to God (Jah). They do not comb or maintain their hair at all; they simply grow it, and wash it only with pure water. I have learned much from Rasta, and have much respect for them. However, I am not Rasta. Therefore, I cannot say that I wear dreadlocks.

Matted hair itself, however, simply belongs to all people. Every race, every culture, even every religion has had a community of individuals that respected and used matted hair to further their spiritual understanding. This, I can say that I have.

People wonder if, Euro-centrally speaking, Caucasians with matted hair are appropriating African culture. I don't think so; at least, not with the hair style. But if I were to say that I wear 'dreadlocks,' as I said when I was younger, well, then yes, I believe that is disrespectful and appropriation.

So, I say that I wear locks.

What do you call your hair, and why? What do you think of my reasoning?

Namaste

 

I normally just say "my hair".

 

Interesting... I points out alot of waht my parents are saying to me, they think i want to be black...mmhhh...

Well I call my hair, at the moment dreads, because it is simple to say. It is easier to say dreads then dreadlocks. Another reason i call them dreads, because at the moment they dont look like "dreadlocks" my hair isnt fully knoted and i still have fly aways. So they looked dreadful I use to have my MSN nickname as Dreadful-locks.
Anywho thats what i say, but sometimes i switch it up if the word dosnt fit right and the statement dosnt flow smoothly.

But by your logic you say that its inapporiate for me to use the term dreadlocks because im not a rasta. So in my polish culture, there was a time it was believe that matted hair brought you good fortune and good health. And once you cut of your "kołtun" the hair would avenge itself ... Anywho the word kołtun is the word my parent use to describe my hair. I dont use this word because it has a bad conatestion to it. If you are seen to have a kołtun then your seen as dirty and uneducated. So i was to say i had a kołtun, polish people who knows what that word means would think im dirty and stupid.

But I think its childish to think that a word should be recervied only for a ethnic group of some kind. I think the word dreadlock should be used for all and it can have more speical meeting to some other then i. Just like god (notice its not capsed, i remeber i elemenerty school the teacher told use to caps god out of respect because that his name) some people might make that word the most holiest of name and inshirne it with whatever. But others may just use it as any other word, or use it to describe something else. Like I use the word god to describe the infinite sometimes. But others may use god to describe it as someone who sits infront of millions of tvs observeing us every second of our lives (kind've reminds me of mister burns from simspons when he made his own casino )... So do you understand what im getting at. We should be aloud to use the word dreadlocks, any way we like. But we shouldnt use it just because from some religious sect says it holy. Thats great, but i believe its just a word that describes the hair style the best in the mainstream.

Peace...

 

Ditto.

 

Before I get into my response, I just want to thank you both for your comments and insight. I love debate and conversation, so long as it is respectful, calm, and non-argumentative.

Annie, I love it! That's the best of all, I think.

A-Shwa-Child, yeah, I hear ya. The polish plait was never really high up in the fashion scene. I'd like to state that I didn't phrase this as a matter of race or ethnicity. Throughout the entirety of human existence, beyond history, human beings have always grew matted, locked hair, for a plethora of reasons. I'm a European-American myself, and I too sport the hairstyle. Check out my thread down south for some pictures! (It's my second set, and they're very young. Only two weeks. First set was 2 years old.) I also want to say that I appreciated your analogy of god and God. As this is a matter of religion, I think that is wise and appropriate. But I'd like to further explain myself.

The use and the origin of the term 'dreadlocks' is uniquely Rastafarian. it represents their covenant with God. I feel that to wear matted hair and call it dreadlocks is comparable to wearing a beanie and calling it a yarmulke. I wouldn't appropriate the term 'yarmulke' from the Jews, and nor do I seek to appropriate the term 'dreadlocks' from the Rasta. However, matted hair belongs to all people, as do hats that cover the skull. We have different terminology for skull caps to respect the Jews. Why not a different terminology to respect the Rasta?

To that aim, I choose to title my hair 'locks,' which is a culturally neutral and mildly symbolic term. What do you think?

Namaste!

 

(sorry for the mistakes, its getting late, and the blueies are wearing off)
"Why not a different terminology to respect the Rasta?"

That would be nice, but the term Dreadlock spread so far and is so most part of mainstream culture you can really change anything. The only way you can do so is start with yourself (which i assume your doing) and educate anyone who referes to people with "dreadlocks" who arent a rasta. This is a long procse and its going to take along time. Most likley its going to be forgutten in 50 years...

Like i said before, the dreadlock term now has really several meanings and philosophical ideas behind it. And the great thing about words, is that if they are used correctly you can get your points accross.

So if a rasta was talking about his dreadlocks then he can use the right words which well hint to that fact that it brings him closure to god.
While some "free-doers" well express the dreadlock as a means of droping out of mainstream fashion sense (which can turn mainstream by itself and become a fad, strange huh...) or just doing whatever he pleases, with out being inflence by the masses. IF the religious and "free-doers" use the more apporiate words in there statements then they can get teh idea accross that the word "dreadlock" is used for spiritual or an act of freedom.
Ok whatever, if this makes sense to you great... Im going hit the sac, and think about this tomorrow at school... I find it really interesting... Good night , sweet dreams and if you read this in the morning or afternoon... Good morning and good afternoon...

 

I believe it was the Celts who called them faerie locks. They believed faeries would fly into your house and knot your hair up while you were sleeping. I like to think of that sort of thing...sort of has a romance to it.

 

I'm still waking up, so bear with me here: Wasn't the term "dreadlock" coined as a derogatory term in the 1950's, meant to marignalize the new spiritual, young, Rastafarian people by scaring the rest of society by saying they looked "dreadful"? Of course, the word has since then been "taken back" to a point - but the original connotation is still extremely negative.

Just wanted to make some sort of point I guess... I'm with Annie and Barefeet - usually just say "my hair"... sometimes "my locks" and occasionally "my dreads". Now I will go get back to waking up.

 

i say just call it my hair haha cuz thats what it is. but ill sometimes call em my dreads, or locks, but i rarely say dreadlocks mostly because everything else is easier to say

 

Language evolves. Language is a means to be able to understand each other. A true openminded, spiritual being wouldnt be minded over such things as words.

 

I call them dreadlocks, the word dreadlocks I believe wasnt made for one ethnic group why would a word describe ones culture? I mean if anyone can get dreadlocks then you ar efree to say the word....

 

Like some of the others, I don't get caught up in words, it's my "hair or dreadies." I've never given it much thought about the term "dreadlocks." I agree with the person who said that truly spiritual wouldn't get caught up in semantics.

Peace and love

 

I just call them my 'locks'.

I don't think I have ever called them 'dreads' or 'dreadlocks'.

 

Dreadlocks arn't necessery drived from rastafarinism, Dreadlocks are mentioned in quite a few religions, Christianity for example, Samson had dreadlocks which of course were the source of his strength until delilah cut them off,

But it first dates back to the Egyptians, Tutan Kharman had dreadlocks !!

The term dreadlocks was first used in Africa as a derogaory term meaning dreadfull locks, but was more popularised with the rasta's when the Rastfairism movent began in the 1920's when Haile Saleste became preisdent of Ethiopia

But in Short Dreadlocks are more of a spiritual thing to get closer to their God as A.S.C said

I just call mine dreads but i don't think of it as a derogatory term unless you want it to !!!!

 

swampy, what you say applies to locked hair in general, yes, and though the Bible mentions locked hair, it doesn't use the term 'dreadlocks.' Locks are spiritual, that is for sure. It's why I'm doing it.

But I can't say that I wear dreadlocks, because I am not Rasta. Once again, I harken to my yarmulke example. And Scorpius, and anyone else that said this, I'm not making it an ethnic/racial thing. There are several people that are of European descent that are Rastas. Many of them are my friends. It is out of respect for them that I don't call my hair 'dreadlocks.'

I wanted to bring this up, and gauge the thoughts and opinions.

And as for spiritual people not getting caught up on words, words are the vessels of the transmission of spiritual power. I am a Buddhist, and I have often reflected on how carefully Buddha measured and judged each word, before he spoke it. This is what I'm trying to do, but more as a communal process. I've already made my decision; I don't like using the word 'dreadlocks' because I feel that is appropriating the Rasta faith. I just say locks.

I'm sorry if I seem uptight about this, but the worst prejudice of all is unintentional.

Namaste.

 

Did I kill the debate?

 

Thats the thing about a hippie forum, its really hard to start a debate, because everyone is so open minded that they dont mind you useing any word.
We're not naizs with words.
We all have different reason for saying each word...
So by your reasoning I should stop useing the word Ganja because the rastas use that word for there sacred herb? Or should i not smoke the herb, because just like the christan faith if i was to eat some of the bread of christ then that would be immoral and looked down upon?

You got to remeber i didnt get dreadlocks for the spirituall journey i got it for change. Just like how i would take a drug ( lets say marijuana ) and the hallucination (like effect) are just a bouns.

 

I've met a Rastafarian, who referred to my hair as Dreadlocks, although he knew I wasn't Rastafarian... I don't think the word is purely for the one religion..

Anyway, I call them Dreadlock, Dreads, Knappys, and most often, Dreadies. Its just words though.

 

Exactly...

 

I tend to call mine a "matted pile 'o' crap on me head"