So on Friday night last week, thanks to my boy Chris Spencer, I was invited to a special screening of an upcoming documentary by Chris Rock on black hair. I took my friend Brianna and my roommate Coen along with me. I had no idea what to expect but suffice to say, as is the case with most things Chris Rock is involved with, it was funny. It was however, informative too.
In spite of the fact that I have dealt with pretty much every hair issue there is, trust me on that one, his documentary brought quite a few things to light that I hadn't thought of in a while or that I never knew in the first place.
For instance, did you know that the way they get the Indian "human hair" for weaving is through a religious ritual called tonsuring? Women go in the millions to certain temples and have their heads completely shaven as as a sacrifice because hair is seen as a vanity. The temple then sells the hair and makes ridiculous amounts of money, second only to the amount of money the Vatican makes. They then wash and "debug" the hair and sew the wefts and sell them by the kilo to vendors, mostly in the US. Who knew all of that was involved?
He had me laughing when he had all these black men on there talking about how they are not allowed to touch their girl's hair 'cause they would get a beat down, lol!!!
Women were putting $1000 wigs on layaway. I didn't even know there was still layaway, let alone on hair,lol!
Mothers were perming their 2 and 3 year olds' hair, good grief...
Women were spending 4, 5, 6 hours at the hair salon - that's why I personally haven't been to get a perm since the 90s. Last time I went, that woman had me in her shop for 5 hours. I swore never again right then and there! I just go right on down to Rite Aid and buy me an Optimum Care perm kit and I'm done in 30 mins, thank you very much!
There was the whole go natural or not debate? Afros? Dreads?
Women were discussing the choice to get their hair wet or not to get it wet (ie. go swimming). Nia Long said choosing to get her hair wet with/for a guy was more intimate than having sex, lol!!!
All I can say is that you should make sure to watch this documentary when and wherever it comes out. You'll have a completely different appreciation for our hair and all that it entails...its complexities, its challenges and its beauty!!
