History of Dreadlocks

Maat · (#1 (**permalink**))

History of Dreadlocks
written by: Bouneith Inejnema Naba

Many times I have heard friends admit to me that, because they have dreadlocks, they have been approached in the street by someone who wanted to sell them marijuana. The sellers approached these individuals solely because they had dreadlocked hair; none of the individuals used drugs or associated with those who do use. Dreadlocks have become so much associated with Rastafarian culture, which is, in turn, associated with smoking ganga, that few people know the real roots and history of dreadlocked hair. What are the traditional origins and meanings of dreadlocks?

New-generation Rastafarians will tell you that the culture of locked hair came, originally, from Africa , but any knowledge beyond the continent that locks came from is unknown. Where old-generation Rastafarians hold great pride in their natural hair and see it as a symbol of their fight against Babylon, non-violence, non-conformity, communalism and solidarity, and as a heavy spiritual statement, many new-generation Rastas see their dreads as a passport to smoking ganga and listening to Reggae music, not understanding the real Rastafarian culture and values.

Where Rastafarians once shunned everything from Babylon , such as soda, alcohol and cigarettes, modern Rastas are often seen smoking, wearing designer clothing, eating meat and drinking beer. Wearing your hair naturally has become more of a status symbol than a spiritual decision, and people begin locking their hair so that they are seen as conscious, afrocentric, or different, rather than for honest spiritual and conscious reasons.

Dreadlocks have been a part of the history of every spiritual system. From Christianity to Hinduism, locked hair has been been a symbol of a highly spiritual person who is trying to come closer to God(s). If one is to research the spiritual history and meaning of locks, they will be mentioned in all holy books (the biblical Sampson wore his hair in dreadlocks, and his unsurpassed strength was lost when Delilah cut off his seven locks of hair) and cultures. Dreadlock's roots are commonly traced back to Hinduism and the God Shiva, but stops there. Meanwhile, most people recognize that dreadlocks have their origin in Africa , but nobody seems to know where, how or why! As with everything else, the true origins of dreadlocks can be found in Kemet ( Africa ).

Originally, dreadlocks were the mark of spiritual status, Dogon Priest and Kemetic Spiritual Master Naba Lamoussa Morodenibig of The Earth Center explained in an interview. Priests of diverse Deities were required, at least for a specific period of time, to have dreadlocks. For example, priests of Deities that are involved in the healing of the body and with procreation, such as Wsr, Heru, Theouris and Sekhmet, are required to have dreadlocks. There is a period of seven to thirteen years that a priest of these Deities must let their hair grow freely and devote themselves completely to the Deity. During this time, the priest has a role of responsibility towards the God and the temple. After that time period, if they want to cut their hair, a ceremony is done and they can remove their locks if they choose. Interest-ingly, for other Deities, like Aishat, one must shave every hair on their body when serving that God or Goddess. It depends on which God and temple is being served.

What is it about hair that is so important for priests and temples? It is a notion of purity. Hairs are huge emitters and receptors. When one is in an area, such as a temple, where the flow of energy must be tightly controlled, hair becomes either very helpful or very disturbant, depending on the energetic needs, Master Naba explained. Even when a hair falls off of the body, it does not lose its qualities, and it can become a big disturbance to the flow of energy. Even animals that are sacrificed are checked thoroughly for a specific type of fur. It is not every ram or cow that can be used in a ceremony - it is only a priest who can safely determine whether an animal is fit for sacrifice, and it is a heavy responsibility to do so. The untrained eye will think that any animal will do, but if there is one piece of the wrong kind of fur on an animal, it cannot be used!

It is known that many Pharaohs had locked hair, and on Tutankhamen's mummy, dreadlocks can still be found intact. How did dreadlocks become such a symbol of Rastafarian belief and culture rather than of African spirituality? Master Naba offered his knowledge: Dreadlocks in spirituality has a very high value. During pre-colonial Africa, healers and priests in many parts of the continent carried dreadlocks, and every religion that has come has adopted the idea of either having dreadlocks or shaving all hair on the body. In the Bible, it states that those who don't shave, drink alcohol or eat meat are the closest to God; Jesus himself is shown with long hair! In Islam, shaving is seen as a value of cleanliness. To associate dreadlocks with only Rastafarianism is unfair. But, in the history of Black people, Rastafarianism became a politico-spiritual movement after the prophesy of Marcus Garvey surfaced. It gave Black people a spirit of hope, and the Rastafarian then adopted the attitudes of African priests: they kept their hair like a priest, did not eat red meat, drink alcohol, use drugs or smoke cigarettes. They decided to stay spiritually hopeful, and the dreadlocks represented, instead of a priest serving a temple for seven years, a period of time spent waiting for something to happen.

Dreadlocks carry a very heavy spiritual meaning that is virtually unknown in today's modern society. Now worn as a fashion statement, a political message, or as a rebellion, many people, young and old alike, have no idea what dreadlocks mean spiritually, and they do not know the position they are putting themselves in by having locked hair. Dreadlocks carry the notion of devotion and sacrifice to the Deities, according to the spiritual rules, says Master Naba, the only Dogon/Kemetic priest who has been commis-sioned by the committee of elders in Africa to bring initiatic knowledge outside of trad-itional initiation camps. Dread-locks carry a very heavy spiritual bur-den. It is only people that have conscious-ly decided to take a vow of purity and to follow all of the seventy-seven commandments and apply them to all aspects of their lives that should wear dreadlocks. People of any race or gender can wear them, because spirit-ually we are the same, but the one who has dreadlocks must understand the spiritual meaning behind them if they do not want to face negative consequences.

For part 2 and more click here

Black Lion · (#2 (**permalink**))

Thanks Maat, have been growing a 'fro for a while now just can't bring myself to cut it... have been thinking about growing dreads, despite the social implications as it were.

Can you wash dreads when they're fully grown?

Website looks interesting as well but if Afri-Ka means, ''Land of burning souls'' then what does ''Afro'' mean?

alabamagirl · (#3 (**permalink**))

Yes, you can wash dreads. And Maat that is seriously ignorant and stupid for people to sell marijuana to others simply because they have locks.

Maat · (#4 (**permalink**))

@BL: No problem. I really liked this article because it explains a lot more about the spiritual and cultural connections regarding the locks themselves. I also found it interesting to discover the names of the gods that were worshipped for example; Wsr is another name for Osiris and Heru is another name for Horus (father and son), although not alive at the same time.

OK so we don't know/have the 77 comandments just yet but now that you know more about the reasoning behind why they are grown do you think you could abide by these kind of laws mentioned?

@alabamagirl: I agree about the ignorance although to an extent ignorance is not a bad thing because it just shows what that person doesn't know. Unfortunately it's the not knowing that would lead to such a stereotype in the first place but it can quite offensive to be on the receicing end when the assumption doesn't apply.

Do you wear locks by the way? If so what do you think of the practices associated with wearing them?

coppersahara · (#5 (**permalink**))

Very Informative and educative......I hope there's more articles like this on here. I'm really glad I read this as I cut off my long permed hair last month and trying to grow locks now(not as a fashion statement). I did know about a few of the implications(mentioned here) but having read the details....I'm a little worried.....

Sugashorti · (#6 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maat

@BL: No problem. I really liked this article because it explains a lot more about the spiritual and cultural connections regarding the locks themselves. I also found it interesting to discover the names of the gods that were worshipped for example; Wsr is another name for Osiris and Heru is another name for Horus (father and son), although not alive at the same time.

OK so we don't know/have the 77 comandments just yet but now that you know more about the reasoning behind why they are grown do you think you could abide by these kind of laws mentioned?

@alabamagirl: I agree about the ignorance although to an extent ignorance is not a bad thing because it just shows what that person doesn't know. Unfortunately it's the not knowing that would lead to such a stereotype in the first place but it can quite offensive to be on the receicing end when the assumption doesn't apply.

Do you wear locks by the way? If so what do you think of the practices associated with wearing them?

Hi Matt

What practices are you talking about? I wear locks but it is not because of any cultural stereotype. Since I was a small child my scalp suffered, I hated to have my hair combed. In my teens this soreness did not go away and I had migraine to deal with. Eventually ten years ago, I'd had enough, stopped perming my hair and have not looked back. It's a pleasure to wash my hair and go, no concerns about getting chemically straightened hair wet.

I make my own hair conditioners, and rinses and oils, growing the herbs in the garden. I tend to keep my hair shoulder length, trimming the ends. It took me the better part of ten years to look in the mirror and finally see "me", pretty much a spiritual state of being.

meknow · (#7 (**permalink**))

Real dreads are not what we see today. they are a pleasant form of the real thing. bob marley and the wailers had dreads.

dreads just happen when people stop combing and cutting their hair....real dreads that is...

don't get me wrong i like the twists, they look good. I am growing mine again. the natural ones. will post a picture when they manifest.

ya mon...peace and love in this house....

Himanot · (#8 (**permalink**))

There are two kinds of dreads...those that are "free formed" and those that are "cultivated." Free formed dreads are those you allow to grow with out manipulation. Some will just separate the hair at the roots and that is it. Cultivated dreads are those you help along. They usually come from comb coils, back combing, braids or twist and they are dreads just like the free formed dreads. Unless you get dread extentions or dread perms...if you have dreads...they are real dreads. Real dreads come from not coming your hair and allowing your hair to loc.

Maat · (#9 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sugashorti

Hi Matt

What practices are you talking about? I wear locks but it is not because of any cultural stereotype. Since I was a small child my scalp suffered, I hated to have my hair combed. In my teens this soreness did not go away and I had migraine to deal with. Eventually ten years ago, I'd had enough, stopped perming my hair and have not looked back. It's a pleasure to wash my hair and go, no concerns about getting chemically straightened hair wet.

I make my own hair conditioners, and rinses and oils, growing the herbs in the garden. I tend to keep my hair shoulder length, trimming the ends. It took me the better part of ten years to look in the mirror and finally see "me", pretty much a spiritual state of being.

Welcome to BN Sugashorti & Himanot

I was talking about the original practices mentioned in this article such as; spiritually devoting your life to a particular diety for 7 years, living a life of purity and following the rules as in the 77 commandments. On the second part it also gives examples, Lying, gossiping, talking too much, cheating, stealing, killing animals, insects, or other living beings.

I overstand what you say regarding why you wear them and it's great that you make your own oils too by the way

but does knowing a bit more about the history make you think any differently about locks?

Sugashorti · (#10 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maat

Welcome to BN Sugashorti & Himanot

I was talking about the original practices mentioned in this article such as; spiritually devoting your life to a particular diety for 7 years, living a life of purity and following the rules as in the 77 commandments. On the second part it also gives examples, Lying, gossiping, talking too much, cheating, stealing, killing animals, insects, or other living beings.

I overstand what you say regarding why you wear them and it's great that you make your own oils too by the way

but does knowing a bit more about the history make you think any differently about locks?

Thank you for the welcome Maat, it is good to know the history behind locks. Somehow the knowledge in parts mirrors the changes which have happened in my life. ie my preference to eat vegetables and fish and no meat, and growing what I consume. I notice the changes to my demeanour, I see that to be harbouring emotions like"hate" is a futile mental state to be in, much preferring "mutual respect".

You could say "arm with the knowledge", it confirms for me the choice I made to live closer to nature was the right one.

Himanot · (#11 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maat

Welcome to BN Sugashorti & Himanot

Hi Maat. Thanks for the welcome.