Hair styling can be quite an experience. While the prices are very reasonable there are, of course, limits. Many women and men in China have straight jet black hair so the hairstylists, used to working on the hair of their countrymen, are perhaps not familiar or comfortable working with other shades and/or textures of hair. A friend from Italy went into a salon to dye her naturally brown hair blond and after three attempts left the salon with GREEN hair. Another friend who is of mixed race (Black and Hispanic) was turned away at the door of the salon because the stylists knew they weren't up to the challenge. What about me?
I am black and my hair is not chemically processed so my hair is in its' natural state. That is my hair can be described as nappy or curly or kinky or whatever adjective ending in "-y" you think would fit here. Due to my hair's natural state and due to my overall cheapness I didn't frequent beauty salons back in America. It's good that I learned to "care" for my hair myself because their is no way that I would be able to walk into a salon here in China and have someone competently work something out with my hair. People gasp at my skin color how much more so my hair's texture.
In the winter I did two strand twists on my hair. Now in the summer I often wear my hair in an afro or in a bob and from time to time in twist outs. The twists are a "favorite" of the locals as I have had students ask to touch my hair and perfect strangers molest my hair while out in public with this hairstyle. Also, as mentioned in a previous post, a taxi driver also mentioned that my twisted hairstyle looked as if it belonged in an art museum.
Being here is actually kind of liberating hair wise because my hair can be what I will so poetically refer to as a "hot mess" by Black American/Jamaican standards while being regarding as a work of art here in China. It's all still a learning process though as I try to balance my desire to express my individuality with my desire to assimilate as much as possible into this, a new culture. While all things are lawful not all things are advantageous and I find that certain hairstyles might be more shocking to the locals than it would be in the States. It's important for me to not let a silly thing like choice of hairstyle further separate me from this people and culture when I'm striving to be all things to all people.
4 comments:
Hair??? I am re-growing my beard, and I have shaved all of my hair off. As you said, hair is quite liberating here.
off topic: is that black plastic mug yours? is it bpa-free? anyway, just a friendly reminder :)
love,
-sally
Sally,
I bought it at a Target in Georgia. Girl, you know I made sure to check that it was BPA free after I bought it. Thanks for the reminder though.
Hope you're doing well over there and gearing up for the fall semester.
So proud of you, keep on holding it down for the natural Sistas in China!! It truly is a work of art. Doesn't it feel great to be able to care for your hair yourself? That's the way it should be, I say. Love ya!
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