An interesting documentary that explores how international mining companies pay little to no tax in Sierra Leone, withholding much needed money from the government.
25.1.14
Natural Hair: A Commentary
A few months ago decided to go natural. I was tired of the costly trips to the hairdresser, the toxic smell of relaxer and the fact that my short pixie cut couldn't offer me much versatility. I'd been trawling YouTube admiring the fro's and textures of naturalista's contemplating what my hair would look like. A few months later and here I am. I love being natural. After six good years of relaxing it is the epitome of freedom. However the more I indulge in natural hair videos and blogs, the more I ask if certain stereotypes have been carried through to the natural hair 'revolution'.
As amazing as the natural hair world is, I can't help but notice that women with a looser curl pattern are overrepresented. The big, long, curly afro is every natural woman's dream. There are masses of products that claim to enhance curls and provide the ultimate definition. Now don't get me wrong, our hair is beautiful in all forms. However a lot of emphasis is put on manipulating our hair into curls. Are we unintentionally excluding sisters with kinkier hair? What about people who don't have a curl pattern? What about women whose hair resists Bantu knot outs and doesn't grow past their temples? Are we once again perpetuating a hierarchy of 'good hair' in a situation that should be liberating?
The beauty of Afro hair is its versatile and varied nature. Despite this, some of us still buy into the myth that curly hair is better than just plain kinky. There is also a heavy focus on how to achieve and maintain length. Many who 'go natural' only do so in the hope of one day having hair that competes with a 16 inch weave. As wonderful as long hair is, I feel that our need for it may be propelled by a subconscious desire to prove that we can fit into western beauty norms. If we look at pre-colonial African hairstyles, it's clear that length did not signify beautiful hair. In many African societies the intricacy of a hairstyle determined its beauty. With this in mind, it could be said that our desire for length is due to the internalisation of western beauty standards.
What some fail to understand is that hair texture, length and density is down to genetics. For some people, no amount of special tonic, miracle shampoo or greens will change the rate at which their hair grows. We need to acknowledge the fact that natural hair is beautiful regardless of whether it's '3A' or '5C'. As a community we can encourage women to embrace all textures, and to accept their hair regardless of its type. The more we focus on curl pattern and length the easier it is to lose sight of the significance of having natural hair - acceptance of self in a world that encourages us to be ashamed of who we are.
As amazing as the natural hair world is, I can't help but notice that women with a looser curl pattern are overrepresented. The big, long, curly afro is every natural woman's dream. There are masses of products that claim to enhance curls and provide the ultimate definition. Now don't get me wrong, our hair is beautiful in all forms. However a lot of emphasis is put on manipulating our hair into curls. Are we unintentionally excluding sisters with kinkier hair? What about people who don't have a curl pattern? What about women whose hair resists Bantu knot outs and doesn't grow past their temples? Are we once again perpetuating a hierarchy of 'good hair' in a situation that should be liberating?
The beauty of Afro hair is its versatile and varied nature. Despite this, some of us still buy into the myth that curly hair is better than just plain kinky. There is also a heavy focus on how to achieve and maintain length. Many who 'go natural' only do so in the hope of one day having hair that competes with a 16 inch weave. As wonderful as long hair is, I feel that our need for it may be propelled by a subconscious desire to prove that we can fit into western beauty norms. If we look at pre-colonial African hairstyles, it's clear that length did not signify beautiful hair. In many African societies the intricacy of a hairstyle determined its beauty. With this in mind, it could be said that our desire for length is due to the internalisation of western beauty standards.
What some fail to understand is that hair texture, length and density is down to genetics. For some people, no amount of special tonic, miracle shampoo or greens will change the rate at which their hair grows. We need to acknowledge the fact that natural hair is beautiful regardless of whether it's '3A' or '5C'. As a community we can encourage women to embrace all textures, and to accept their hair regardless of its type. The more we focus on curl pattern and length the easier it is to lose sight of the significance of having natural hair - acceptance of self in a world that encourages us to be ashamed of who we are.
7.12.13
23.8.13
Berlin 2013!!
Above: Overkill - A trainer lover's heaven, Colourful section of the Berlin Wall, Shisu Burger - Great fusion restaurant wicked food!!!, cool street art opposite the Berlin Wall - I Love Berlin and of course the grand Brandenburg Gate.
So I was lucky enough to travel to Berlin at the beginning of august for three days (I honestly wish I stayed for longer) for a quick city break with a couple of friends. I didn't really know what to expect from the city, but by the end of my trip I had fallen in love. I had never been on a city break and the confused looks from colleagues when I said that I'd be travelling to Germany didn't put me at ease. However, I'm always up for a holiday and stayed open to what I would experience whilst I was there.
I stayed in Mitte in a Boutique i31 hotel. The hotel was nicely decorated and although breakfast wasn't included we had a free minibar! The location was great as we were right next to the U-bahn (the German equivalent of the tube) which meant that we were close to the airport and had easy access to other areas. Contrary to thought, there was so much to do and see in Berlin and three days was no where near enough time to explore.
Despite this, we did manage to do quite a bit of sightseeing, and had a great time at the Berlin wall, Brandenburg Gate and the Fernsehturm tower, where we got a great view of the city. There were lots of great little restaurants on most streets and local food was available on almost every corner.
Overall, I enjoyed my trip and would definitely recommend it for a relaxing city break. I loved so much about Berlin, from the great street art to the interesting boutiques that were scattered around the city. My only regret is that I didn't stay for longer!
9.1.13
Introducing...Me
Hi, my name is Vanessa and welcome to my blog. I guess this post is going to be the awkward first post everyone dreads when starting up a blog lol. I've wanted to start this blog for what seems like forever but just didn't know where to start. So today I decided to go for it. So here it is, a blog about my adventures and life as a student, aspiring journalist/entrepreneur and all my interests along with it!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)