Edited by Azizi Powell
In my search for information online about the loc hairstyle called "gangsta braids", I became fascinated with the use of terms that either are completely unique to or whose meanings are different for people who wear their hair in "locs" ("locks", dreads, dreadlocks".) Some of those terms are listed in this post along with what I believe are their definitions for those terms. Selected videos & a few viewer comments from those videos are also provided in this post.
This post is a companion piece to these pancocojams posts:
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/10/whats-in-name-gangsta-braids-part-i.html and http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/10/whats-in-name-gangsta-braids-part-ii.html.
The content of this post is presented for folkloric, sociological, and educational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
DISCLAIMER:
I'm not a specialist in any form of hair care or hair styling.
Although I've worn my hair in an afro for almost 50 years, I know very little about locs. Neither the videos showcased in this post nor the selected comments are meant to be taken as an endorsement of any way of starting or maintaining locs.
****
LIST OF TERMS USED BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOCS
(These definitions are presented in alphabetical order. Some definitions are given with questions marks which mean that I'm really unsure about those definitions. Additions & corrections are welcome.
baby locs = beginning locs
big chop = cutting off most of the relaxed [perm straightened] hair and letting the strands of hair lock. (Note: Some commenters pointed out that you don't have to cut your straightened hair in order to start locks).
combining locs (verb) = twisting two or more thin locs into one loc
dreads = (noun) same as locs, from "dreadlocks"
free form – (verb) to let your hair strands “lock” (twist) without any intervention from you or from others
latch locs = (verb) to manually coil or recoil locs by using a knitting needle?
loc anniversary (also known as "loc birthday") (noun) = the date in which a person started wearing her or his hair in locs. This is a much anticipated and celebrated date.
loc’d [locked] = (verb) a term for the act of creating locs
and (noun) - a description of hair that is worn in these styles
loctician (noun) = a beautician who specializes in helping start, maintain, and style locs
loc journey (noun) = the chronologization of the experiences and progress a person has from the beginning of when he or she wore locs and going forward; A person's loc journey may also be said to begin from when she or he began to seriously think about wearing her or his hair in locs.
palm twist = see "twist"
retwist (verb) = to coil, twist hair that had already locked
twist (palm twist) = (verb) to manually coil the strands of hair
sisterlocks (noun) = the same thing as "locs" but worn by females? Or a term for a particular style of locs wore by Black females (sisters)? Or a brand name for a company that specializes in a style or styles of hair braiding & maintenance?
soldier loc/s (noun) = long loc or locs compared to the length of other locs in a person’s hair. [long=strong, and therefore symbolically those locs are protecting the other locs]
wrap ur head = (verb) to wear a head wrap [gele] for style, not to be confused with sleeping with a scarf on your hair to maintain perm styles and/or to keep lint out of your hair for natural or perm styles
****
FEATURED VIDEOS
(These videos are presented in chronological order based on the date of their posting, with the oldest video presented first.)
Example #1: Loc Update
barbaydian261, Uploaded on May 28, 2010
moroccan oil is awesome... i love mixing it with my olive oil eco styler gel
-snip-
This publisher has a number of videos on YouTube. In some of these videos she mentions how she has a love/hate relationship with her locs because she is used to cutting her hair in order to wear it in different styles. These videos prompted one commenter to affectionately write that these videos were like watching a soap opera.
I believe that this woman has published a four year or five yeear loc anniversary video.
Here's a few comments from this publisher's one year loc anniverary video in 2009:
barbaydian261
[in response to the question "How did you start your locs?"]
"it was initially started by a loctician using the 2strand twists but i hated them so I took them out and coiled it myself. I used the organic root stimulator locking gel in my retwists. I also had to use a lil bit of bees wax. I know alot of people say thats a NO NO but I needed that little bit of build up to hold my locs in... Once i was satisfied I stopped using it. 5 months into my journey i was FINALLY loced and i give that to the NO NO beeswax!!!"
-snip-
Apparently, some people who have locs are very opposed to the use of beeswaxs for starting or maintaining locs. Other people support that use.
**
bbluvzshaun
"Hello Ms. Bajan. I just found out that you don't have to cut your locs off if you don't want them anymore, all you do is saturate the loc with water and a conditioner, take a rat tail comb and start detangling from the tip of the loc its a long process but worth the wait ( check youtube for the process). I also have the frizzies, I just add a little gel to the end and call it a day, also when retwisting go to the end with the loc gel and sit under the dryer (you probably do that already). bye"
-snip-
"Ms Bajan" (and the publisher's screen name "barbaydian261") refers to her being from Barbados. From comments I've read, this publisher lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
**
barbaydian261
"have u ever considered joining the thin ones.... If you watch my vids u will see that I am "Addicted to Twisted" as i like to call it and that can cause the hair to thin out which i am trying to avoid. I actually got a needle and thread and sewed a few of my locs together and they fuse with time. that might be one way u can fix that. if u decide to freeform u just have to take the time to separate the locs to keep them from joining together in the oh so beautiful union of loc marriage. Not cool"
****
Example #2: 1 Year 9 Month Loc Update
prettipoison27, Uploaded on Feb 21, 2012
I retwist every 3 months. I've never interlocked, palm rolled or latched my locs. I only retwist the new growth. My locs in the back are a tad bigger than the ones in the front (I purposely did them that way) Enjoy =)
-snip-
Here are a few comments from that video's viewer comment thread. All of these comments were written in 2012.
**
Mstokes2o08
"So pretty! How long did it take you to retwist them?"
Reply
prettipoison27 1 year ago
"thanks...I was taking extremely long breaks lol so I don't even remember. but if I take no breaks it would probably be around 3 and a half hours"
**
Briana Parker
"How often do you wash in between the retwists?"
Reply
prettipoison27 1 year ago
"I wash it about 2 weeks after a retwist and once every week after that"
**
niktay79
"Do u sit under the dryer after u re-twist? Your locs are so pretty! I started styling mine after watching your videos. Thanks for the great advice in your videos!"
Reply:
prettipoison27
"99 percent of the time I just air dry. and you're welcome!"
****
Thanks to the publishers of these videos. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Showing posts with label cornrows. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cornrows. Show all posts
Monday, October 28, 2013
Sunday, October 27, 2013
What's In A Name? - Gangsta Braids, Part II
Edited by Azizi Powell
This post is Part II of a two part series about the phrase "gangsta braids". This post features selected videos of "gangsta braids" hair styles, comments from those videos, and information about the meaning of the word "gangsta".
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/10/whats-in-name-gangsta-braids-part-i.html for Part I of that series. Part I presents selected comments from an October 26, 2013 Yahoo article that included a photograph & comments about White American Juliette Lewis wearing her hair in what she referred to 21 years later as "gangster braids".
The content of this post is presented for cultural and sociological purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
GENERAL STATEMENT ABOUT "LOCS"
"Gangsta Braids" are one of a number of hair styles for locs (also known as "locks, "dreads", and "dreadlocks"). That style involves a particular way [or ways] of braiding "locs".
Here's information about "dreadlocks" from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreadlocks
"Dreadlocks, also called locks, dreads, or Jata (Hindi), are matted coils of hair. Dreadlocks are usually intentionally formed; because of the variety of different hair textures, various methods are used to encourage the formation of locks...
Dreadlocks are associated most closely with the Rastafari movement, but people from many ethnic groups have worn dreadlocks, including many ancient Hamitic people of North Africa and East Africa (notably the Oromo of Ethiopia, and the Maasai of northern Kenya); Semitic people of West Asia; Indo-European people of Europe and South Asia (notably the ancient Spartan warriors of Greece, and the Sadhus of India and Nepal); Turkic people of Anatolia and Central Asia; the Sufi Rafaees; and the Sufi malangs and fakirs of Pakistan...
Since the rise of the popularity of dreadlocks, Blacks in the Americas have developed a large variety of ways to wear dreadlocked hair. Specific elements of these styles include the flat-twist, in which a section of locks are rolled together flat against the scalp to create an effect similar to the cornrows, and braided dreadlocks. Examples include flat-twisted half-back styles, flat-twisted mohawk styles, braided buns and braid-outs (or lock crinkles). Social networking websites, web forums, web-logs and especially online video-logs like YouTube have become popular methods for people with dreadlocks to transmit ideas, pictures and tutorials for innovative styles."
-snip-
It appears from my online reading and personal experiences that the word "locs" (spelled without the "k") is by far the most commonly used term for these hairstyles among African Americans.
****
SPECULATION ABOUT HOW "BRAIDS" CAME TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH BLACK "GANGSTAS"
My guess is that the term "gangsta braids" was relatively recently coined by African Americans or people from the Caribbean. However, the style that is known as "gangsta braids" may be much older than that name.
Here are two comments from a Yahoo forum in response to the question "Why do people associate BLACK MEN with BRAIDS as being "gangster" and "thug"?"
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090302110456AAvUVtO
GeTMoNeY[M.O.B], 2008
"i wear my braids and i don't care what anyone says. they associate stereotypes they see in movies and hear in music and base their beliefs off of the media. when in all actuality, it's just a hair style. wearing braids does not mean that those who wear them are a thug, gangster, have robbed a bank, or any thing else with a negative connotation. because just as a black man with braids would supposedly rob someone, so can a BALD white man, a LONG haired indian, SPIKEY haired asian, or a LAYERED haired woman for that matter. it's just a hairstyle. those who still judge people off of their hairstyle need to grow up and need to chill out with the whole telling people what to do to their hair."...
**
Ms. Opinionative, 2008
..."As for braids, well, most people have shallow thinking, and when they notice thugs whom are Black, or Black people on the news being broadcast committing an offense, most of them have braids, but people, like I said, with shallow minds, would stereotype and conclude that having braids is a thuggish style. However, the truth is, those thugs, whom happened to Black, had a 'Black' hairstyle that doesn't have anything to do with being a thug at all."...
-snip-
It's possible that the name "gangsta braids" came from these lyrics to the 1994 record "Players Ball" by Outkast:
[Hook]
All the players came.. from far and wide
Wearin afros and braids, kickin them gangsta rides
Now I'm here to tell ya.. there's a better day
When the player's ball is happenin, on Christmas Day
-snip-
Italics added to highlight that line.
Of course, I might be wrong about that Outkast record being the inspiration for the name "gangsta braids". However, it's clear that that name is matter of factly used by Black people posting videos of that style on YouTube, and commenting on those videos.
****
FEATURED VIDEOS
[WARNING: Some music that is played in the background of these videos, and/or some comments on those videos' viewer comment threads contain profanity, the n word, and other content that I believe isn't appropriate for children.]
These videos are posted in chronological order, based on their posting date, with the oldest video given first.
Example #1: Loc Style (Gangsta Braids)
MsTrini2dbone, Uploaded on Dec 28, 2009
Another loc style quick and super easy
-snip-
Here are four comments from that video's viewer comment thread:
SUPASUPAMAN1, 2010
"So Those Are Braids, not dreads?"
Reply ·
MsTrini2dbone, 2010
"they are locs the style is calles gangsta braids"
**
jtnluv07, 2010
"do u cornroll it the same as if his hair wasnt dreaded up?"
Reply ·
MsTrini2dbone, 2010
"yes i do in this vid"
****
Example #2: Hair How To: Four Gangsta Braids
KnottyDreadTV, Uploaded on Jan 15, 2011
-snip-
As an aside, the name "knottydread" is almost certainly a play on title of the Bob Marley song "Natty Dread". The word "natty" which is hardly ever used in the United States means "attractive, stylish".
****
Example #3: Loc Tutorial: Two Gangsta Braids
I guess you can say that this is my early Christmas gift to ya'll. Merry Christmas guys. This my loc tutorial... I've been requested to do this style. And here ya go.
LeslieMoniqueTV, Uploaded on Dec 24, 2010
EDITORIAL COMMENTS
Note that there are multiple websites that sell "gangsta braids" wigs for Halloween. However, I'm not including links to those websites.
In spite of the fact that apparentally some Black people have no problem what so ever with the name "gangsta braids", I consider that hairstyle's name to be problematic because it reinforces negative perceptions of Black people as gangsters and of gangstas.
My hope is that another term will eventually replace the "gangsta braid" name for that hairstyle.
****
RELATED LINK
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/10/terms-used-among-people-who-have-locs.html "Terms Used Among People Who Wear Their Hair In Locs (Dreadlocks)"
****
Thanks to the publishers of these featured video. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This post is Part II of a two part series about the phrase "gangsta braids". This post features selected videos of "gangsta braids" hair styles, comments from those videos, and information about the meaning of the word "gangsta".
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/10/whats-in-name-gangsta-braids-part-i.html for Part I of that series. Part I presents selected comments from an October 26, 2013 Yahoo article that included a photograph & comments about White American Juliette Lewis wearing her hair in what she referred to 21 years later as "gangster braids".
The content of this post is presented for cultural and sociological purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
GENERAL STATEMENT ABOUT "LOCS"
"Gangsta Braids" are one of a number of hair styles for locs (also known as "locks, "dreads", and "dreadlocks"). That style involves a particular way [or ways] of braiding "locs".
Here's information about "dreadlocks" from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreadlocks
"Dreadlocks, also called locks, dreads, or Jata (Hindi), are matted coils of hair. Dreadlocks are usually intentionally formed; because of the variety of different hair textures, various methods are used to encourage the formation of locks...
Dreadlocks are associated most closely with the Rastafari movement, but people from many ethnic groups have worn dreadlocks, including many ancient Hamitic people of North Africa and East Africa (notably the Oromo of Ethiopia, and the Maasai of northern Kenya); Semitic people of West Asia; Indo-European people of Europe and South Asia (notably the ancient Spartan warriors of Greece, and the Sadhus of India and Nepal); Turkic people of Anatolia and Central Asia; the Sufi Rafaees; and the Sufi malangs and fakirs of Pakistan...
Since the rise of the popularity of dreadlocks, Blacks in the Americas have developed a large variety of ways to wear dreadlocked hair. Specific elements of these styles include the flat-twist, in which a section of locks are rolled together flat against the scalp to create an effect similar to the cornrows, and braided dreadlocks. Examples include flat-twisted half-back styles, flat-twisted mohawk styles, braided buns and braid-outs (or lock crinkles). Social networking websites, web forums, web-logs and especially online video-logs like YouTube have become popular methods for people with dreadlocks to transmit ideas, pictures and tutorials for innovative styles."
-snip-
It appears from my online reading and personal experiences that the word "locs" (spelled without the "k") is by far the most commonly used term for these hairstyles among African Americans.
****
SPECULATION ABOUT HOW "BRAIDS" CAME TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH BLACK "GANGSTAS"
My guess is that the term "gangsta braids" was relatively recently coined by African Americans or people from the Caribbean. However, the style that is known as "gangsta braids" may be much older than that name.
Here are two comments from a Yahoo forum in response to the question "Why do people associate BLACK MEN with BRAIDS as being "gangster" and "thug"?"
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090302110456AAvUVtO
GeTMoNeY[M.O.B], 2008
"i wear my braids and i don't care what anyone says. they associate stereotypes they see in movies and hear in music and base their beliefs off of the media. when in all actuality, it's just a hair style. wearing braids does not mean that those who wear them are a thug, gangster, have robbed a bank, or any thing else with a negative connotation. because just as a black man with braids would supposedly rob someone, so can a BALD white man, a LONG haired indian, SPIKEY haired asian, or a LAYERED haired woman for that matter. it's just a hairstyle. those who still judge people off of their hairstyle need to grow up and need to chill out with the whole telling people what to do to their hair."...
**
Ms. Opinionative, 2008
..."As for braids, well, most people have shallow thinking, and when they notice thugs whom are Black, or Black people on the news being broadcast committing an offense, most of them have braids, but people, like I said, with shallow minds, would stereotype and conclude that having braids is a thuggish style. However, the truth is, those thugs, whom happened to Black, had a 'Black' hairstyle that doesn't have anything to do with being a thug at all."...
-snip-
It's possible that the name "gangsta braids" came from these lyrics to the 1994 record "Players Ball" by Outkast:
[Hook]
All the players came.. from far and wide
Wearin afros and braids, kickin them gangsta rides
Now I'm here to tell ya.. there's a better day
When the player's ball is happenin, on Christmas Day
-snip-
Italics added to highlight that line.
Of course, I might be wrong about that Outkast record being the inspiration for the name "gangsta braids". However, it's clear that that name is matter of factly used by Black people posting videos of that style on YouTube, and commenting on those videos.
****
FEATURED VIDEOS
[WARNING: Some music that is played in the background of these videos, and/or some comments on those videos' viewer comment threads contain profanity, the n word, and other content that I believe isn't appropriate for children.]
These videos are posted in chronological order, based on their posting date, with the oldest video given first.
Example #1: Loc Style (Gangsta Braids)
MsTrini2dbone, Uploaded on Dec 28, 2009
Another loc style quick and super easy
-snip-
Here are four comments from that video's viewer comment thread:
SUPASUPAMAN1, 2010
"So Those Are Braids, not dreads?"
Reply ·
MsTrini2dbone, 2010
"they are locs the style is calles gangsta braids"
**
jtnluv07, 2010
"do u cornroll it the same as if his hair wasnt dreaded up?"
Reply ·
MsTrini2dbone, 2010
"yes i do in this vid"
****
Example #2: Hair How To: Four Gangsta Braids
KnottyDreadTV, Uploaded on Jan 15, 2011
-snip-
As an aside, the name "knottydread" is almost certainly a play on title of the Bob Marley song "Natty Dread". The word "natty" which is hardly ever used in the United States means "attractive, stylish".
****
Example #3: Loc Tutorial: Two Gangsta Braids
I guess you can say that this is my early Christmas gift to ya'll. Merry Christmas guys. This my loc tutorial... I've been requested to do this style. And here ya go.
LeslieMoniqueTV, Uploaded on Dec 24, 2010
EDITORIAL COMMENTS
Note that there are multiple websites that sell "gangsta braids" wigs for Halloween. However, I'm not including links to those websites.
In spite of the fact that apparentally some Black people have no problem what so ever with the name "gangsta braids", I consider that hairstyle's name to be problematic because it reinforces negative perceptions of Black people as gangsters and of gangstas.
My hope is that another term will eventually replace the "gangsta braid" name for that hairstyle.
****
RELATED LINK
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/10/terms-used-among-people-who-have-locs.html "Terms Used Among People Who Wear Their Hair In Locs (Dreadlocks)"
****
Thanks to the publishers of these featured video. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
What's In A Name? - Gangsta Braids, Part I
Edited by Azizi Powell
For some reason which I still haven't figured out, Yahoo News featured an article yesterday about how in 1992 actress Juliette Lewis was caught spitting out chewing gum during the Oscars. http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-talk/time-oscars-juliette-lewis-couldn-t-keep-her-231127955.html. A photograph of that Oscar night showed that White actress (who was escorted to the Oscars by actor Brad Pitts) wearing her hair in cornrows, a hairstyle that is almost always associated with people of Black African descent. With regards to that hairstyle, Meriah Doty, the author of that article, wrote that "More than 20 years on, Lewis has quite a sense of humor about it all — even her unique-if-not-strange hairstyle at the occasion. 'I had gangster braids at the Oscars because why wouldn't you," she said with obvious facetiousness.'"
In my opinion, Meriah Doty's comment and Juliette Lewis' comment were much bigger mistakes than Lewis spitting out gum at the Oscars.
And many if not most of the 1034+ comments from that article's viewer comment thread agree with me for one reason or another.
[All of these comments were posted on October 26 or 27, 2013]
Some commenters interpreted the word "gangster" in "gangster braids" as "criminals", meaning "people involved in illegal activities." For that reason, Lewis' comment was thought to be offensive to all those Black people who have worn & still wear their hair in that style.
Beverly
"How dare whom ever wrote that Juliette Lewis' hair style in 1992 as gangster . . . . . she is wearing cornrolls. This statement had tones of being racist in my opinion. My young niece and other black women today still wear cornrows and this style has nothing to do with being a gangster!!!!!"
**
Tameria
"first off,how are braids Gangster? to be "gangster" is to act and or react accordingly. secondly, i think she looks very unique, elegant, and sexy, with her braids or corn rows. the braids are a style not a behavior so the it makes zero sense for braids to be gangster."
**
Emagination
"So what were they called back in 1979 when Bo Derek wore them? They were called "cornrows" then; they are called "cornrows" now. Gangsters did not invent them. Thank you. SMH!!!"
-snip-
"Bo Derek" was an American actress who wore her hair in cornbraids & beads in the 1979 movie 10.
"SMH" is an acronym for "shaking my head" [in disdain, critism, annoyance etc.] A number of commenters added this acronym to the end of their comment. Although non-Black people also use "SMH", it appears to me that this acronym is closely associated with Black folks.
****
A lot of commenters interpreted the word "gangster" (or its African American vernacular form "gangsta") to mean "people belonging to gangs". For obvious reasons, that association was also considered to be offensive, if not racist.
Gloria
"For your information, the hair style you so flippantly call "gangsta braids" are a traditional African hair style called Corn Rows. It has nothing to with gangs or anything else. Get some education - and stop disparaging my heritage."
**
Mshindi
"gangster braids omg..like who calls cornrows gangsta braids its amazing how the media twist and turns things they know who comments on these articles now lets see how much people share their hate of gangsta braids and the certain people who wear it. because on a subconscious level thats what yahoo is doing by not just calling them what they are…cornrows"
**
Tanya
Why are they called "gangsta braids" ? When they are simply called cornrows....
Wow does the media need to sensationalize everything???? Does the term gangsta braid influence how you view and perceive the look????"
**
J D
"Gangsta Braids??? WTH. How disrespectful to African Americans. Are you insinuating that when you see someone who wears this style of braided hair are all Gangsta??? I have plenty of educated (BA's MA's and a couple of Doctorates) friends and family members who wear this hair style. Damn....No wonder why many African Americans are still disappointed with the treatment we receive in this country."
**
Kristine
Gangster braids? Really? I wore those all of the time as a kid and wasn't thinking about gangs. We called them plaits or cornrows.
****
At least two commenters suggested that referring to cornrows as "gangster braids" was an example of White people's ignorance of and misuse of African American vernacular English.
Neo
"These days, anyone can get called a "thug" and anything get labeled "gangster."
It's almost as if the people who use those words the most just learned them, and try their best to use them frequently.
They are used out of context way to frequently....."
**
Timothy
What the hell are "gangster braids"! Is it related to the "terrorist fist bump"! Dumb just can't be descriptive enough!
****
Several commenters who were critical of Juliette Lewis and/or Maria Doty cited the long history of cornrows in Africa, in the United States, and elsewhere.
sam
"Cornrows are not "gangster braids." Some of you people really need to educate yourselves. People wearing cornrows have been found in pictures dating back as far as 3000 BC. It was originally a traditional hairstyle for women in Africa and parts of West Asia. There are records of men wearing cornrows as far back as the early 1800s. This includes African kings. If you think that cornrows are nothing but a hairstyle worn by "gangsters," then you are showing your own ignorance. Perhaps if you didn't limit your knowledge of black culture to the negativity that you see in popular media, you would be more aware of some the rich history and traditions that originated in Africa. Thumbs down all you want."
-snip-
Editor: "Thumbs down all you want" refers to the readers' comment rating system in which thumbs down means readers disagree with the comment.
**
JanG
"Meriah, Lewis has her hair in CORNROWS for your information. As was Bo Derek's hair in the movie, 10. Black women, and now men, have worn their hair this way for centuries. Before you make comments like this, get your head out of TV and the movies and into real life. Obviously you do not know anything about Black Women's hair."
**
marleneh
"'Gangster braids' How stupid can some people be.They are braids,corn rows or cane rows (Caribbean) If you don't know then shut up.That is stereotyping."
****
One commenter focused on the author of that article's use of the phrase "unique if not strange" as a descriptor of that hairstyle:
Tiffany
" "unique if not strange"...excuse me??? Why would an ethnic hairstyle be inappropriate or strange? Shame on you for perpetuating negative stereotypes of Black people in America...SHAME!!!!! Poor journalism at BEST and blatant racism at worst."
****
Given that the real topic of that article, it's not surprising that a number of racist comments against Black people were posted to that forum. I'm not going to quote any of those comments.
Also given the subject matter, it's not surprising that some [probably Black people] wrote something to the effect that that White people shouldn't ever wear their hair in cornrows or any other "Black" hairstyle. However, one commenter implied that she or he doesn't think that Black people should have any problem with White people wearing cornrows since Black females straighten their hair to look like White females.
chelleedub
"So the big news is that she dated Brad Pitt many years ago? Oooookay. By the way, what's wrong with braids on a white girl? I have no problems with black women who straighten their hair."
-snip-
Personally, I think that's a good point.
****
And one commenter wrote that where she or he lived people who weren't Black also wore their hair in cornrows. That commenter also shared additional opinions about Juliette Lewis wearing cornrows.
Na
"I'm not white or black but we had "corn rows" often worn by people in our island community(yes, whites included), just called a different name. I don't think she was being intentionally ignorant. I think her statement was leaning more towards an attempt at humor and subtly generalizing that it wasn't exactly one of her best looks because it didn't fit her. Personally i think she should have gotten someone to make the braids smaller...a much better look on white people getting those types of braids but extra tight rubberbands to hold the braids because their hair is usually finer and straight. Lighten up people...it's 2013 and we got better things to concentrate on then being negative. Let the girl live a little :)"
-snip-
While the "lighten up" phrase was probably an unfortunate use of words, I got that the commenter meant "be less serious".
****
One commenter wrote that when Juliette Lewis described her hairstyle as "gangster" 21 years after the fact, she meant to convey that that hairstyle was "tight", "fine", and "bad" in the positive African American vernacular connotation of those words:
Thomas
"To those of you that are making comments concerning what gangster braids; It just means that she thought her braids were "tight" or what one would call "bad #$%$ braids" or just "together." "Yet maybe looking good to her and those in the know".
And maybe that's what Lewis meant. But maybe not. I've never heard of "gangsta" meaning "tight" or "bad #$%$" or "together." But what do I know...
****
What I found interesting is that no comment that I read mentioned anything at all about the fact that "gangsta braids" is a probably very recently created hair style or hair styles in which "locs" ("dreads", "dreadlocs") are braided a certain way. Truth to be told, I only learned about that style for locs after reading the above mentioned Yahoo article and searching the internet for that phrase. I found out that "gangsta braids" aren't the same thing as regular cornrows, but they are a type of cornrowed braiding. But prior to my doing that internet search, I would have agreed with Susan P who wrote in that Yahoo article about Juliette Lewis:
"Looks like cornrows to me. I have been on this planet nearly 7 decades and I never heard of "gangster braids" until I read this article..."
-snip-
Susan P ended her comment by asking "Why do some people seem compelled to change the names of things every few years?"
I think it's human nature to make such changes. And I'm hoping that tendency to change the names of things comes into play sooner rather than later with regard to "gangsta braids".
Examples of "gangsta braid" videos, other information about dreadlocks, and other comments about that hairstyle are presented in Part II of this series. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/10/whats-in-name-gangsta-braids-part-ii.html for Part II of this series.
****
RELATED LINK
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/10/terms-used-among-people-who-have-locs.html "Terms Used Among People Who Wear Their Hair In Locs (Dreadlocks)"
****
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
For some reason which I still haven't figured out, Yahoo News featured an article yesterday about how in 1992 actress Juliette Lewis was caught spitting out chewing gum during the Oscars. http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-talk/time-oscars-juliette-lewis-couldn-t-keep-her-231127955.html. A photograph of that Oscar night showed that White actress (who was escorted to the Oscars by actor Brad Pitts) wearing her hair in cornrows, a hairstyle that is almost always associated with people of Black African descent. With regards to that hairstyle, Meriah Doty, the author of that article, wrote that "More than 20 years on, Lewis has quite a sense of humor about it all — even her unique-if-not-strange hairstyle at the occasion. 'I had gangster braids at the Oscars because why wouldn't you," she said with obvious facetiousness.'"
In my opinion, Meriah Doty's comment and Juliette Lewis' comment were much bigger mistakes than Lewis spitting out gum at the Oscars.
And many if not most of the 1034+ comments from that article's viewer comment thread agree with me for one reason or another.
[All of these comments were posted on October 26 or 27, 2013]
Some commenters interpreted the word "gangster" in "gangster braids" as "criminals", meaning "people involved in illegal activities." For that reason, Lewis' comment was thought to be offensive to all those Black people who have worn & still wear their hair in that style.
Beverly
"How dare whom ever wrote that Juliette Lewis' hair style in 1992 as gangster . . . . . she is wearing cornrolls. This statement had tones of being racist in my opinion. My young niece and other black women today still wear cornrows and this style has nothing to do with being a gangster!!!!!"
**
Tameria
"first off,how are braids Gangster? to be "gangster" is to act and or react accordingly. secondly, i think she looks very unique, elegant, and sexy, with her braids or corn rows. the braids are a style not a behavior so the it makes zero sense for braids to be gangster."
**
Emagination
"So what were they called back in 1979 when Bo Derek wore them? They were called "cornrows" then; they are called "cornrows" now. Gangsters did not invent them. Thank you. SMH!!!"
-snip-
"Bo Derek" was an American actress who wore her hair in cornbraids & beads in the 1979 movie 10.
"SMH" is an acronym for "shaking my head" [in disdain, critism, annoyance etc.] A number of commenters added this acronym to the end of their comment. Although non-Black people also use "SMH", it appears to me that this acronym is closely associated with Black folks.
****
A lot of commenters interpreted the word "gangster" (or its African American vernacular form "gangsta") to mean "people belonging to gangs". For obvious reasons, that association was also considered to be offensive, if not racist.
Gloria
"For your information, the hair style you so flippantly call "gangsta braids" are a traditional African hair style called Corn Rows. It has nothing to with gangs or anything else. Get some education - and stop disparaging my heritage."
**
Mshindi
"gangster braids omg..like who calls cornrows gangsta braids its amazing how the media twist and turns things they know who comments on these articles now lets see how much people share their hate of gangsta braids and the certain people who wear it. because on a subconscious level thats what yahoo is doing by not just calling them what they are…cornrows"
**
Tanya
Why are they called "gangsta braids" ? When they are simply called cornrows....
Wow does the media need to sensationalize everything???? Does the term gangsta braid influence how you view and perceive the look????"
**
J D
"Gangsta Braids??? WTH. How disrespectful to African Americans. Are you insinuating that when you see someone who wears this style of braided hair are all Gangsta??? I have plenty of educated (BA's MA's and a couple of Doctorates) friends and family members who wear this hair style. Damn....No wonder why many African Americans are still disappointed with the treatment we receive in this country."
**
Kristine
Gangster braids? Really? I wore those all of the time as a kid and wasn't thinking about gangs. We called them plaits or cornrows.
****
At least two commenters suggested that referring to cornrows as "gangster braids" was an example of White people's ignorance of and misuse of African American vernacular English.
Neo
"These days, anyone can get called a "thug" and anything get labeled "gangster."
It's almost as if the people who use those words the most just learned them, and try their best to use them frequently.
They are used out of context way to frequently....."
**
Timothy
What the hell are "gangster braids"! Is it related to the "terrorist fist bump"! Dumb just can't be descriptive enough!
****
Several commenters who were critical of Juliette Lewis and/or Maria Doty cited the long history of cornrows in Africa, in the United States, and elsewhere.
sam
"Cornrows are not "gangster braids." Some of you people really need to educate yourselves. People wearing cornrows have been found in pictures dating back as far as 3000 BC. It was originally a traditional hairstyle for women in Africa and parts of West Asia. There are records of men wearing cornrows as far back as the early 1800s. This includes African kings. If you think that cornrows are nothing but a hairstyle worn by "gangsters," then you are showing your own ignorance. Perhaps if you didn't limit your knowledge of black culture to the negativity that you see in popular media, you would be more aware of some the rich history and traditions that originated in Africa. Thumbs down all you want."
-snip-
Editor: "Thumbs down all you want" refers to the readers' comment rating system in which thumbs down means readers disagree with the comment.
**
JanG
"Meriah, Lewis has her hair in CORNROWS for your information. As was Bo Derek's hair in the movie, 10. Black women, and now men, have worn their hair this way for centuries. Before you make comments like this, get your head out of TV and the movies and into real life. Obviously you do not know anything about Black Women's hair."
**
marleneh
"'Gangster braids' How stupid can some people be.They are braids,corn rows or cane rows (Caribbean) If you don't know then shut up.That is stereotyping."
****
One commenter focused on the author of that article's use of the phrase "unique if not strange" as a descriptor of that hairstyle:
Tiffany
" "unique if not strange"...excuse me??? Why would an ethnic hairstyle be inappropriate or strange? Shame on you for perpetuating negative stereotypes of Black people in America...SHAME!!!!! Poor journalism at BEST and blatant racism at worst."
****
Given that the real topic of that article, it's not surprising that a number of racist comments against Black people were posted to that forum. I'm not going to quote any of those comments.
Also given the subject matter, it's not surprising that some [probably Black people] wrote something to the effect that that White people shouldn't ever wear their hair in cornrows or any other "Black" hairstyle. However, one commenter implied that she or he doesn't think that Black people should have any problem with White people wearing cornrows since Black females straighten their hair to look like White females.
chelleedub
"So the big news is that she dated Brad Pitt many years ago? Oooookay. By the way, what's wrong with braids on a white girl? I have no problems with black women who straighten their hair."
-snip-
Personally, I think that's a good point.
****
And one commenter wrote that where she or he lived people who weren't Black also wore their hair in cornrows. That commenter also shared additional opinions about Juliette Lewis wearing cornrows.
Na
"I'm not white or black but we had "corn rows" often worn by people in our island community(yes, whites included), just called a different name. I don't think she was being intentionally ignorant. I think her statement was leaning more towards an attempt at humor and subtly generalizing that it wasn't exactly one of her best looks because it didn't fit her. Personally i think she should have gotten someone to make the braids smaller...a much better look on white people getting those types of braids but extra tight rubberbands to hold the braids because their hair is usually finer and straight. Lighten up people...it's 2013 and we got better things to concentrate on then being negative. Let the girl live a little :)"
-snip-
While the "lighten up" phrase was probably an unfortunate use of words, I got that the commenter meant "be less serious".
****
One commenter wrote that when Juliette Lewis described her hairstyle as "gangster" 21 years after the fact, she meant to convey that that hairstyle was "tight", "fine", and "bad" in the positive African American vernacular connotation of those words:
Thomas
"To those of you that are making comments concerning what gangster braids; It just means that she thought her braids were "tight" or what one would call "bad #$%$ braids" or just "together." "Yet maybe looking good to her and those in the know".
And maybe that's what Lewis meant. But maybe not. I've never heard of "gangsta" meaning "tight" or "bad #$%$" or "together." But what do I know...
****
What I found interesting is that no comment that I read mentioned anything at all about the fact that "gangsta braids" is a probably very recently created hair style or hair styles in which "locs" ("dreads", "dreadlocs") are braided a certain way. Truth to be told, I only learned about that style for locs after reading the above mentioned Yahoo article and searching the internet for that phrase. I found out that "gangsta braids" aren't the same thing as regular cornrows, but they are a type of cornrowed braiding. But prior to my doing that internet search, I would have agreed with Susan P who wrote in that Yahoo article about Juliette Lewis:
"Looks like cornrows to me. I have been on this planet nearly 7 decades and I never heard of "gangster braids" until I read this article..."
-snip-
Susan P ended her comment by asking "Why do some people seem compelled to change the names of things every few years?"
I think it's human nature to make such changes. And I'm hoping that tendency to change the names of things comes into play sooner rather than later with regard to "gangsta braids".
Examples of "gangsta braid" videos, other information about dreadlocks, and other comments about that hairstyle are presented in Part II of this series. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/10/whats-in-name-gangsta-braids-part-ii.html for Part II of this series.
****
RELATED LINK
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/10/terms-used-among-people-who-have-locs.html "Terms Used Among People Who Wear Their Hair In Locs (Dreadlocks)"
****
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Sunday, July 7, 2013
The Differences Between Cornrows, Dutch Braids, and French Braids
Edited by Azizi Powell
Latest revision: November 4, 2019
[I replaced the term "cornbraid" with "cornrows" which is the term that I believe ost often used in the USA.]
This post provides information & videos about the differences between "Cornrows", "Dutch Braids", and "French Braids".
The content of this post is presented for educational and aesthetic purposes.
Disclaimer: I'm not a professional hairstylist. The information that I'm posting is from various online resources. My comments are identified as such, and aren't meant to be taken as professional opinions.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
Acknowledgement:
Thanks to all those who I have quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of the videos that are found in this post.
I don't know if there's any relationship between the editor of the chocolatehairvanillacare.com series & the publisher of the "GirlsLoveYourCurls" videos. However, it seems to me that the information & techniques found in these two online resources complement each other very well.
****
INFORMATION & VIDEO EXAMPLES
"Cornrows", "Dutch Braids" and "French Braids" are hair braiding techniques that are favored throughout the world for their easy maintenence, their protection of the hair, and the aesthetic of the hairstyles that are created by these braiding techniques. These hair braiding techniques are particularly favored by people in regions of Africa and throughout the African Diaspora.
CORNROWS
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornrowshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornrows
"Cornrows, also known as rows, braids, or canerows in the Caribbean, are a traditional African[1] style of hair grooming where the hair is braided very close to the scalp, using an underhand, upward motion to produce a continuous, raised row. Cornrows are often formed, as the name implies, in simple, straight lines, but they can also be formed in complicated geometric or curvilinear designs.
Often favored for their easy maintenance, rows can be left in for weeks at a time if maintained through careful washing of the hair and regular oiling of the scalp.*
History
Cornrowed hairstyles are sometimes adorned with beads or cowry shells. Depending on the region of the world, cornrows are typically worn by either men, women, or both.
A traditional way of styling hair throughout North Africa, East Africa, and West Asia, depictions of women with cornrows have been found in Stone Age paintings in the Tassili Plateau of the Sahara that have been dated as far back as 3000 B.C.[2] This tradition of female styling in cornrows has remained popular throughout Africa, particularly in North, East, and West Africa [3]. Historically, male styling with cornrows can be traced as far back as the early nineteenth century to Ethiopia, where warriors and kings such as Tewodros II and Yohannes IV were depicted wearing cornrows.
Outside of Africa and Asia, cornrows have also been worn and depicted in Europe, particularly in Greek and Roman art, and may have had a similar presence in Celtic culture."
-snip-
*From my experiences, it's an exaggeration to say that cornrows (or French braids or Dutch braids)can be left in place for weeks at a time. Depending on the texture of the hair, and other variables, I've found that these hairstyles usually need to be redone after one week or two weeks.
-snip-
From http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-cornrows.htm#didyouknowout
"Cornrows are a style of wearing the hair in very tight braids, which often have beads interwoven through them. The style originated in North Africa, and was noted among Europeans when the slave trade in that area began. Slaves in the US retained the tradition of wearing cornrows, which were fairly easy to care for once the hair was braided.
In the 1920s through 1950s, African American women often preferred straightening their hair to wearing it in cornrows. However, actress Cicely Tyson, began wearing them for the television show, “East Side/West Side” in 1963. African Americans embraced style as a sign of black pride, and they once again became popular. They were also a sign of affinity with one’s origins in Africa, since they were considered a traditional hairstyle.
This popularity led to a rise in the number of salons that could perform the complex braiding process. In 1979, white women also became entranced by the style of cornrows after the film 10 featured Bo Derek wearing her hair this way..."
-snip-
I disagree with some of the statements that are made in this article. In my opinion, in the 1960s and 1970s to date only a few African Americans considered/consider cornrows to be a popular hairstyle. The popularity of that style depended upon the gender of the person, the age of the person, the economic class of the person or whether they tended to prefer a "street culture to a middle class culture". Outside of Hip-Hop culture in the 1970s to date and hairstyles for Black males that wear/are popularized (or familiarized) by that music genre, cornrows & other similar hair braiding techniques/hairstyles were traditionally considered a female hairstyle, and a hairstyle that up until 1980s in the United States weren't worn outdoors by anyone but Black girls up to around the age of twelve.
It's been my experience that since the 1990s or so African American women who usually don't wear their hair outside in cornrows (or Dutch braids/French braids) often chose to do because they are going on a vacation to the Caribbean or otherwise going to the beach. They did so because those hairstyle are easy to maintain after a Black person's hair is immersed in water.
I very much disagree with the statement that cornrows ever were or are now a popular hairstyle with White females - notwithstanding Bo Derek or Heidi Klum's recent outing as a "Bahama Mama" (http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-moms/news/heidi-klum-flashes-butt-shows-off-cornrow-hair-201367
-snip-
I believe that the term "cornrows" (and "canerows") was given to this hairstyle because when the hair is braided in a straight line in resembles the rows of corn that grow in fields.
The direction in which the portions of hair is braided determines whether the style is "Cornbraids"/“Dutch Braids” or "French braids". With Dutch braids (and corn braids) the portion of the hair is braided underhand. However, with French braids the portion of the hair is braided overhand.
For cornrows/Dutch braids, see the video that is featured under the "Dutch braid" section.
Some people make no distinction between "Dutch braids" and "cornrows". However, if I understand it correctly, other people distinguish "Dutch braids" from cornbraids because of the amount of hair that is added with each braid. With Dutch braids only some of each portion of the hair is braided, but with cornrows all of each portion of the hair is braided to the middle of each braid.
-snip-
http://www.chocolatehairvanillacare.com/2011/03/how-to-cornrow.html
****
DUTCH BRAIDS
http://www.chocolatehairvanillacare.com/2011/01/difference-between-french-braids-dutch.html
"Next up is the Dutch braid. This braid is formed almost exactly the same was as the French braid, except for one major difference: The hair is braided underhanded. So if we go back to our jump rope analogy, imagine turning that double-dutch rope in circles moving away from each other...
...the Dutch braid... does not include the hair in the middle of the braid in the braid, itself. The Dutch braid is a more defined braid, but it also only sits on top of the middle part of the hair."
-snip-
http://www.chocolatehairvanillacare.com/2011/01/how-to-dutch-braid.html
-snip-
Cornrow Tutorial (Dutch Braid): Braiding Technique #5
GirlsLoveYourCurls Uploaded on Sep 25, 2010
Cornrow Tutorial (Dutch Braid): A how-to, step by step tutorial on how to do cornrow, also known as a Dutch Braid, or Canerow, on natural hair.
-snip-
"Dutch Braids" probably got that name because of the similarity of the movement of that technique of braiding and the way that the two "Double Dutch" jumping ropes are usually turned.
To help illustrate this way of turning two ropes, here's a Double Dutch jump rope video:
Double Dutch Basics
parents, Published on Jun 25, 2010
****
FRENCH BRAIDS
...First up is the French braid. As you can see from above, a French braid is braided overhand. If you don't know what that means, just imagine yourself turning two double-dutch jump ropes with each hand turning in circles towards each other. The sections of hair are laid on top of one another as more hair is added down the braid.
A benefit of doing the French braid is that it keeps the hair nicely detangled, out of the face, and helps distribute the weight of the hair along the path of the braid, rather than having all of the hair pull in one area, as it would in a ponytail...
-snip-
http://www.chocolatehairvanillacare.com/2011/01/how-to-french-braid.html
-snip-
French Braid Tutorial (Inverted Cornrow): Braiding Technique #4
GirlsLoveYourCurls,Uploaded on Sep 25, 2010
French Braid Tutorial: A step by step tutorial on how to do french braid, also known as an inverted cornrow, on natural hair.
****
RELATED TERM: HAIR EXTENSIONS
Hair "extensions" are sometimes temporarily added by one means or another to the hair of a person of any race or ethnicity in order to extend the length of that individual's hair. People may wear extensions if they wear their hair "out" in straight styles or in curly styles or if they wear their hair in the braided styles mentioned in this post or in other braided styles.
Here's some more information about extensions from http://hairextensionsforall.wordpress.com/2011/06/17/the-definition-of-hair-extensions/:
"Hair extensions are specific hair pieces developed to provide length to an individual’s hair style. They are available in lots of different colors and textures in order that they may possibly be equated to any person’s hair...Extensions could be produced of all-natural hair or synthetic fibers."
****
WARNING
Please be careful what terms you use to refer to “Black” hair textures. Because of possible (or probable) adverse reactions from Black people, my advice is that no one (including other
Black people) use "kinky", "nappy", or "wooly".
I prefer the term “tightly curled” in refering to this wide range of textures of unprocessed (unstraightened) "Black" hair.
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitors comments are welcome.
Latest revision: November 4, 2019
[I replaced the term "cornbraid" with "cornrows" which is the term that I believe ost often used in the USA.]
This post provides information & videos about the differences between "Cornrows", "Dutch Braids", and "French Braids".
The content of this post is presented for educational and aesthetic purposes.
Disclaimer: I'm not a professional hairstylist. The information that I'm posting is from various online resources. My comments are identified as such, and aren't meant to be taken as professional opinions.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
****
Acknowledgement:
Thanks to all those who I have quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of the videos that are found in this post.
I don't know if there's any relationship between the editor of the chocolatehairvanillacare.com series & the publisher of the "GirlsLoveYourCurls" videos. However, it seems to me that the information & techniques found in these two online resources complement each other very well.
****
INFORMATION & VIDEO EXAMPLES
"Cornrows", "Dutch Braids" and "French Braids" are hair braiding techniques that are favored throughout the world for their easy maintenence, their protection of the hair, and the aesthetic of the hairstyles that are created by these braiding techniques. These hair braiding techniques are particularly favored by people in regions of Africa and throughout the African Diaspora.
CORNROWS
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornrowshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornrows
"Cornrows, also known as rows, braids, or canerows in the Caribbean, are a traditional African[1] style of hair grooming where the hair is braided very close to the scalp, using an underhand, upward motion to produce a continuous, raised row. Cornrows are often formed, as the name implies, in simple, straight lines, but they can also be formed in complicated geometric or curvilinear designs.
Often favored for their easy maintenance, rows can be left in for weeks at a time if maintained through careful washing of the hair and regular oiling of the scalp.*
History
Cornrowed hairstyles are sometimes adorned with beads or cowry shells. Depending on the region of the world, cornrows are typically worn by either men, women, or both.
A traditional way of styling hair throughout North Africa, East Africa, and West Asia, depictions of women with cornrows have been found in Stone Age paintings in the Tassili Plateau of the Sahara that have been dated as far back as 3000 B.C.[2] This tradition of female styling in cornrows has remained popular throughout Africa, particularly in North, East, and West Africa [3]. Historically, male styling with cornrows can be traced as far back as the early nineteenth century to Ethiopia, where warriors and kings such as Tewodros II and Yohannes IV were depicted wearing cornrows.
Outside of Africa and Asia, cornrows have also been worn and depicted in Europe, particularly in Greek and Roman art, and may have had a similar presence in Celtic culture."
-snip-
*From my experiences, it's an exaggeration to say that cornrows (or French braids or Dutch braids)can be left in place for weeks at a time. Depending on the texture of the hair, and other variables, I've found that these hairstyles usually need to be redone after one week or two weeks.
-snip-
From http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-cornrows.htm#didyouknowout
"Cornrows are a style of wearing the hair in very tight braids, which often have beads interwoven through them. The style originated in North Africa, and was noted among Europeans when the slave trade in that area began. Slaves in the US retained the tradition of wearing cornrows, which were fairly easy to care for once the hair was braided.
In the 1920s through 1950s, African American women often preferred straightening their hair to wearing it in cornrows. However, actress Cicely Tyson, began wearing them for the television show, “East Side/West Side” in 1963. African Americans embraced style as a sign of black pride, and they once again became popular. They were also a sign of affinity with one’s origins in Africa, since they were considered a traditional hairstyle.
This popularity led to a rise in the number of salons that could perform the complex braiding process. In 1979, white women also became entranced by the style of cornrows after the film 10 featured Bo Derek wearing her hair this way..."
-snip-
I disagree with some of the statements that are made in this article. In my opinion, in the 1960s and 1970s to date only a few African Americans considered/consider cornrows to be a popular hairstyle. The popularity of that style depended upon the gender of the person, the age of the person, the economic class of the person or whether they tended to prefer a "street culture to a middle class culture". Outside of Hip-Hop culture in the 1970s to date and hairstyles for Black males that wear/are popularized (or familiarized) by that music genre, cornrows & other similar hair braiding techniques/hairstyles were traditionally considered a female hairstyle, and a hairstyle that up until 1980s in the United States weren't worn outdoors by anyone but Black girls up to around the age of twelve.
It's been my experience that since the 1990s or so African American women who usually don't wear their hair outside in cornrows (or Dutch braids/French braids) often chose to do because they are going on a vacation to the Caribbean or otherwise going to the beach. They did so because those hairstyle are easy to maintain after a Black person's hair is immersed in water.
I very much disagree with the statement that cornrows ever were or are now a popular hairstyle with White females - notwithstanding Bo Derek or Heidi Klum's recent outing as a "Bahama Mama" (http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-moms/news/heidi-klum-flashes-butt-shows-off-cornrow-hair-201367
-snip-
I believe that the term "cornrows" (and "canerows") was given to this hairstyle because when the hair is braided in a straight line in resembles the rows of corn that grow in fields.
The direction in which the portions of hair is braided determines whether the style is "Cornbraids"/“Dutch Braids” or "French braids". With Dutch braids (and corn braids) the portion of the hair is braided underhand. However, with French braids the portion of the hair is braided overhand.
For cornrows/Dutch braids, see the video that is featured under the "Dutch braid" section.
Some people make no distinction between "Dutch braids" and "cornrows". However, if I understand it correctly, other people distinguish "Dutch braids" from cornbraids because of the amount of hair that is added with each braid. With Dutch braids only some of each portion of the hair is braided, but with cornrows all of each portion of the hair is braided to the middle of each braid.
-snip-
http://www.chocolatehairvanillacare.com/2011/03/how-to-cornrow.html
****
DUTCH BRAIDS
http://www.chocolatehairvanillacare.com/2011/01/difference-between-french-braids-dutch.html
"Next up is the Dutch braid. This braid is formed almost exactly the same was as the French braid, except for one major difference: The hair is braided underhanded. So if we go back to our jump rope analogy, imagine turning that double-dutch rope in circles moving away from each other...
...the Dutch braid... does not include the hair in the middle of the braid in the braid, itself. The Dutch braid is a more defined braid, but it also only sits on top of the middle part of the hair."
-snip-
http://www.chocolatehairvanillacare.com/2011/01/how-to-dutch-braid.html
-snip-
Cornrow Tutorial (Dutch Braid): Braiding Technique #5
GirlsLoveYourCurls Uploaded on Sep 25, 2010
Cornrow Tutorial (Dutch Braid): A how-to, step by step tutorial on how to do cornrow, also known as a Dutch Braid, or Canerow, on natural hair.
-snip-
"Dutch Braids" probably got that name because of the similarity of the movement of that technique of braiding and the way that the two "Double Dutch" jumping ropes are usually turned.
To help illustrate this way of turning two ropes, here's a Double Dutch jump rope video:
Double Dutch Basics
parents, Published on Jun 25, 2010
****
FRENCH BRAIDS
...First up is the French braid. As you can see from above, a French braid is braided overhand. If you don't know what that means, just imagine yourself turning two double-dutch jump ropes with each hand turning in circles towards each other. The sections of hair are laid on top of one another as more hair is added down the braid.
A benefit of doing the French braid is that it keeps the hair nicely detangled, out of the face, and helps distribute the weight of the hair along the path of the braid, rather than having all of the hair pull in one area, as it would in a ponytail...
-snip-
http://www.chocolatehairvanillacare.com/2011/01/how-to-french-braid.html
-snip-
French Braid Tutorial (Inverted Cornrow): Braiding Technique #4
GirlsLoveYourCurls,Uploaded on Sep 25, 2010
French Braid Tutorial: A step by step tutorial on how to do french braid, also known as an inverted cornrow, on natural hair.
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RELATED TERM: HAIR EXTENSIONS
Hair "extensions" are sometimes temporarily added by one means or another to the hair of a person of any race or ethnicity in order to extend the length of that individual's hair. People may wear extensions if they wear their hair "out" in straight styles or in curly styles or if they wear their hair in the braided styles mentioned in this post or in other braided styles.
Here's some more information about extensions from http://hairextensionsforall.wordpress.com/2011/06/17/the-definition-of-hair-extensions/:
"Hair extensions are specific hair pieces developed to provide length to an individual’s hair style. They are available in lots of different colors and textures in order that they may possibly be equated to any person’s hair...Extensions could be produced of all-natural hair or synthetic fibers."
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WARNING
Please be careful what terms you use to refer to “Black” hair textures. Because of possible (or probable) adverse reactions from Black people, my advice is that no one (including other
Black people) use "kinky", "nappy", or "wooly".
I prefer the term “tightly curled” in refering to this wide range of textures of unprocessed (unstraightened) "Black" hair.
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