Hi Peeps, I'll be posting my styles from yesterday and today as soon as I've had a chance to upload the pictures. In the meantime, I still have all the other regular blog features to post.
So here's this week's Nigerian naturalista, my beautiful cousin Lola.
I realised recently that most of my family - my sister-in-law, her sister and all my cousins but one who recently fell off the wagon in a fit of delirium (naming and shaming, Funke. Naming and shaming! Just kidding, love you really) - are natural, and most have been for a while. I like to think that it is in no small part due to me (oh, I'm so modest).
Of course, this gives me a huge pool of people to feature in this series, and we'll start with Lola, biggest Kinky Apothecary supporter and almost as obsessed with hair as I am.
Here's her journey so far:
I've been
Natural since I was about 15 or 16. My mother sent me to boarding school with
relaxed hair and I came home with it shaved off and new growth sprouting. It
was usually covered in braids so she didn't notice for a little while. My elder
sister went natural first, she used to rock a bright red TWA. We always used to
giggle at her hair permanently dying our cream leather sofas with splodgy
circles of pink!
How other people view my hair
My “natural hair journey”
I am sooooo
lazy with my regimen, I must do better! I aim to wash once a week (sometimes I
go to 2 weeks).
The Natural
hair scene in Nigeria has definately hit a "tipping point"! There are
more and more of us running around everyday! It seems that the Kinky Apothecary
and co have inspired people to be bold and show what they've grown! There were
so few at first, and the whole "educated and cultured ladies have straight
hair" society mentality now seems to be falling by the wayside.
Kinksters are inspiring and emboldening each other. I have a friend whom up until last week I had NEVER seen without a full weave. Both her and her sister keep commenting on my hair and how much they love it (and keep trying to touch it). I bumped into her last week- in full fro mode accessorised with an adorable scarf! She said she's been natural for years- didn't see the need to relax her hair with a full weave, but never felt bold enough to "show her hair in public in that natural state". Not bold enough, until recently.
Natural in Nigeria vs the world
So here's this week's Nigerian naturalista, my beautiful cousin Lola.
Photo courtesy of subject |
I realised recently that most of my family - my sister-in-law, her sister and all my cousins but one who recently fell off the wagon in a fit of delirium (naming and shaming, Funke. Naming and shaming! Just kidding, love you really) - are natural, and most have been for a while. I like to think that it is in no small part due to me (oh, I'm so modest).
Of course, this gives me a huge pool of people to feature in this series, and we'll start with Lola, biggest Kinky Apothecary supporter and almost as obsessed with hair as I am.
Here's her journey so far:
Photo courtesy of subject |
My name is Lola, My friends call me Flo. 9-5 I work in corporate travel, every other
breathing moment, I write poetry and make art. I love animals, horses and dogs
especially.
I am
NIGERIAN! A cultural hybrid of sorts, haha. Born in Lagos, but grew up in
London, and spent many of my formative years in Hertfordshire. I moved back to
Lagos just over 3 years ago. and love it here- despite a lot of madness.
Why I went natural
Photo courtesy of subject |
I have
two sisters, and Mum used to relax all our hair. I hated it- it burnt, smelled
and turned my hair brittle and brown! My hair isn't the thickest or the
strongest so the chemicals really were bad for it. The limper it looked the
limper I felt. So I went natural. Getting my curls back liberated me and made me feel more bold. I
looked more like "me", not trying to fit in or mimic all my
caucasian friends with straight light hair that waved in the breeze- mine was
kinky and coily and bounced as I moved.
Before I
moved back to Nigeria, I had absolutely NO idea about how to take care of my
hair. I'd buy all sorts of "Afro friendly" products loaded with
junk, drag a fine toothed comb through from the roots, lop bits off
indiscriminately and pay extortionate amounts to clueless hairdressers. But when I
did have my hair out, people thought it was cute or kitsch so I felt encoraged.
Back in Nigeria, inspired by The Kinky Apothecary and other Naturalistas and
Kinksters, I have a much better idea of how to take care of my hair and it's
flourishing. Public opinion on natural hair is.... somewhat different here
though.
How other people view my hair
Haha! One of
my extended family members never tires of telling me "relaxer was invented
for a reason". Some people get it, and appreciate me and my hair- some
people don't.
Usually at work, I'm fine as long as my hair is plaited, twisted
or up-done neatly. People tend to wince when I'm in full fro mode. Most often
on a Monday morning when 'amebo' and nosey co-workers are fresh form their own
salon torture they assault me with questions on when I'm going to "fix my
hair" and don't find it funny when I reply that ... I don't think it's
broken....
Before I went natural, I thought...
...That natural indigenous Africans and
Nigerians did not have manageable hair that coiled instead of knotted unless
they were mixed race.
...That for natural hair to be manipulated, it needed to be
drenched in oil and hair creams- seen the jerry-curl jenks family in "Coming to
America"? I was petrified of being seen in public with a greasy oil spot halo.
When I did the big chop...
At first I was
relieved. Then I was nervous wondering how long it would take my mother to
notice....
It was more of a subtle transition than a big chop. I rocked afro
kinky extensions for so long that by the time my natural hair was long enough
to let out, she was used to seeing kinks and curls. Phew!
My “natural hair journey”
I have
definitely fully accepted my natural hair- and I have the most wonderful
supportive cousin who has my back/ curls at every turn!
I love my hair. I really do. I don't have aspirations of super long hair that reaches my bottom, but I do want healthy luscious soft hair that's a cute and manageable length.
Photo courtesy of subject |
Every two
washes I deep condition, this could be anything from a mix of my favorite
products or a blend of banana, avocado, lavender and coconut/ palm oil
depending on what my hair needs (or what I've got in my fridge that's about to
go off!). If I've twisted my hair away in a funky, yet protective, style or
wrapped it up in braids, I'll spray it daily (ok, ok, whenever I remember and
I'm not rushing off to work) with a mix of bottled water, leave in conditioner
and melted shea butter. I learnt how to make banana oil and banana water
from cleaning boiling and cooling banana skins (lots of these in the
freezer thanks to my 3 year old nephew Josh) so I use that too- it has a lovely
yummy smell.
The natural hair scene in Nigeria
Photo courtesy of subject |
Kinksters are inspiring and emboldening each other. I have a friend whom up until last week I had NEVER seen without a full weave. Both her and her sister keep commenting on my hair and how much they love it (and keep trying to touch it). I bumped into her last week- in full fro mode accessorised with an adorable scarf! She said she's been natural for years- didn't see the need to relax her hair with a full weave, but never felt bold enough to "show her hair in public in that natural state". Not bold enough, until recently.
Natural in Nigeria vs the world
There is most
DEFINITELY a difference between being natural in Nigeria and other places I've lived, worked and visited- but it's more to do with the Nigerian mentality and lack of
"boundaries"! Nigerians are very willing to foist their own personal
opinions on you. It's not always just about my natural hair, people tell me
what they think of the way I dress, about my weight- lack of weight or weight
gain- marital status, accent and just about anything else that pops into
their head. In England people are a lot more.... polite with their
opinions and accepting of things that may not necessarily be the norm.
Photo courtesy of subject |
Thanks Flo for doing this without too many threats. I'll send you the N5k later for name-checking us! :)
Beautiful Flo! I'm loving all the gorgeous funky hairstyles! As the one cousin who recently went back to the dark side of relaxing, I'm VERY jealous of all these pics! My hair is straight, flat and lifeless now and inspired by this article I have officially decided to start growing my natural hair back out! Long live the kinksters!
ReplyDeleteWe will welcome you back with open arms!
DeleteI remember you told me your dad would say "this is my daughter Flo, she looks like a mop today" lol.
ReplyDeleteYou're so darn cute! Love the interview (your lovely cousin threatened... I mean asked you too huh?
Are those the rumblings of a complaint I hear? Don't let me catch you oh!!
DeleteHUGE Hugs @ Fizz! Welcome back @ Funke!! lol- I forgot to mention the "Sideshow Bob" comparisons to my early versions of a twistout!! Yay for Natural Hair Fun! (Now stalking earlier posts for style ideas to keep my sis inspired.)
ReplyDeleteLovely article. Beautiful woman.
ReplyDeleteFantastique.....Flo and the Kinky Apo inspired me to do the big chop....fab pics especially the last one ;)
ReplyDeleteblack and natural
ReplyDeletethat thick nappy weaves
around this african queen
and speaks of home
in her aje -butter wouldn't melt
in her mouth memory
yewa. orisha. yemaya. olufunmilola
Translation for those that speak English : "Natural= familiar, good and exotic"
Delete(lol, thanks Ken, ur an odd one!)
I love all her hairstyles, all going to my hair "archive" :p I have to agree the natural hair scene is growing, I noticed that lately at my church in toronto, after spending months abroad. some of them might have been natural for a while like FLO's friend, but never thought they could rock their hair in a fro.
ReplyDeletegreat interview kinky apothcary!
curiouskinks.blogpsot.ca
Why did I read this while stifling back chuckles? Flo, you're hilarious!! Your personality came right through the printed words. And banana oil? First time I've heard of this...
ReplyDeleteHehe thanks (big hug)! And a huge "Y.E.S" at banana oil, my hair seems to absolutely love it!
DeleteI think a tutorial is definitely needed!
DeleteAwww my beautiful cousins.. you guys ROCK! For a moment I had to do a double take when I saw the title.. I thought Nibs was talking about me.. but I see she forgot ALL about me in her list of cousins .. (I fell off the wagon but i'm climbing back.. more like clawing my way back to a big bright red afro)..
ReplyDeleteLove you guys! You're always both so beautiful.
Mwwah
I LOVE that photo of the braided braids thingy (OMG! I suck at descriptions...), it's similar to how Christine Ohuruogu wore hers for her 400m. Team GB, Team Naija!
ReplyDeleteBurriful mehn! Also, I'mma need the deets on this banana water! Who, what, how???
Aww thanks re braid-hawk. Hehehe if someone teaches me how to use youtube like every adult that lives in 2012 should know, I'll ask The Kinky Apothecary to add a link to me making Bananawater and oil.
Deletex
i recently did the big chop and people actually like the hair, but i am about to have my project defence and ive decided to get a weave. am really not sure how the examiners and external examiners would take my hair, its 10 marks for appearance... and i am not about to lose any... i took a poll and people think i shuould get a weave, sadly!
ReplyDeleteGreat post!Your natural hair is beautifully styled.Some peeps think the reason I 've been natural all my life is because my hair is fine and the curls relatively larger than most. I keep telling them it don't matter and that you can achieve awesome hair with tighter coils.I'll definitely be showing off your picture so!
ReplyDeleteok.. am gonna start taking this seriously now-- i mean re exotic styles with my natural hair its in braids most of the time... but when its out i'm using nibi as my muse nibi pls put pics of ur current do....it's amazzzzzing people!!
ReplyDeleteFlo is an artist so has now incorporated her hair into her art portfolio!!
lucky hair!!!!! xxxx