If your curls and kinks could talk, what would they say?
In the creative writing workshops that I conduct, I like to engage the participants in exercises that helps them relax and challenge their imagination.
The one that really gets them excited is when I ask them to give voice to a body part. My favorite is the one where I ask them to let their hair talk.
“If your hair could talk, what would it say?”
Once they stop looking at me like I’m crazy, they let the role play begin.
I posed the question during a workshop sessions with women who belonged to a support group for former prostitutes. One woman’s hair “talked” about being pulled and dragged around by abusive men. Another participant’s hair shared its frustration over being subjected to so many chemical relaxers.
“I’m tired of being set on fire,” the perm-challenged hair proclaimed.
During a workshop I conducted at a senior citizens center, a cancer survivor tearfully allowed her hair to speak about its experience with chemotherapy.
“Bit by bit, pieces of me floated to the ground,” she read. Her hair spoke of being taken to a wig shop and how strange it was to see a store full of “hair with no heads.”
I originally created my Hair Talk exercise to use in the cultural enrichment workshops that I conduct with young African-American girls. I wanted to get an idea of how they perceived themselves without asking them directly.
“I am happy because my owner takes good care of me,” wrote Ke’Asha, a sixth grader.When I posed the question to a group of middle and high school age girls at a community center in South Dallas, the responses were as varied as their personalities. They were candid, humorous, poignant and proud.
“She perms me, shampoos me and even greases me! I love how I feel and look.
Surayyah’s hair pleaded with her owner to give her better care.
“Please comb me. I am all over the place,” wrote the fourth-grader. “Please grease me because I am starting to feel a little dry. Make sure to condition me or I will fall out.”
Madison’s hair was angry.
“I’m sick of being in braids,” wrote the fifth grader in her complaint to her owner. “I don’t like to get wet. I don’t like it when you sweat.”
Dante’s hair issued a desperate warning to her owner who was obsessed with keeping it straight. “Touch me with that hot comb one more time and I will run away!”
Zakia, a sixth grader, had hair that expressed pride and a positive self-perception.
“If my hair could talk it would say how pretty it looked today. That’s what it would say in a great, black and beautiful way.”
Final thoughts
Hair talk. Never know what you might get when you let your tresses be expressive.
This entry was posted on Saturday, November 1st, 2008 at 1:43 pm and is filed under Celebrity, Kinky Hair (Type 4a). You can follow any comments to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment.
November 3rd, 2008 at 2:42 pm
stop putting heat on me, and deep condition, and I will grow and grow!
November 4th, 2008 at 5:49 am
Winters comming i need more moisture.
November 9th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
im tired of the straightener and the hard curls. put me in a ponytail now and then!!!!
November 10th, 2008 at 7:09 am
Yawn!
November 11th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
i like the idea of thnking about what your hair and other parts of your body could say if they had a voice…something to think about!
November 18th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
My hair would say… can’t you just leave me alone. Always trying a new product, style or whatever else… Braid me up and leave me be woman! Don’t touch me!
November 25th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Why do you always have to be so rough??
December 5th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Can’t you let me be free, stop putting me up, get rid of these frizzes and let my natural beautiful waves come through.
December 7th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
Stop straigtening me!! You’re so gentle and kind, but the straigtening has to stop. I know you love your wild hair, so let me be free!
December 9th, 2008 at 11:11 pm
Dear Tasha,
Let go of the ponytail , babe. I know you gotta wear a hat at work , but after you clock out , let me spring.
Oh , and lay off the hairspray!
December 16th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
I know I am fine and wavy, stop trying to change me:)
December 18th, 2008 at 9:30 am
Find a regimen and stick to it, stop putting all of these random products in me. Be more gentle when removing my knots, be patient!!!
January 2nd, 2009 at 11:12 am
Sike! You thought you could use that gel on me and I’d look cute AGAIN? Wrong sista! I might let you use it again in 3 months tho so don’t throw it away…
January 13th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
My curls always say I am who I am with a twist. That always shines through in my personality.KEEP IT REAL!
January 30th, 2009 at 10:51 am
I’m thirsty!!
February 12th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
Thanks for loving me, allowing me to eat, be nutured and free!!No more shakles holding me.
May 9th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
I love how you let me dance and twirl whenever I want and leave me down when you dance. I always feel so free and beautiful.
June 2nd, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Why can’t you just love me? Others love me…..why can’t you? ( I feel I can finally listen)
July 9th, 2009 at 9:04 pm
Im thirsty i need a drink.
September 4th, 2010 at 3:19 pm
Thank you for finally loving and accepting me. The more you love me and carry me with such pride, people around you love me as well.
However, please stop touching me so much. I’m doing my best for you, all I want is some personal boundaries. O and tell your friends to lay off too. I’m not as soft as I look!