"real" meaning of dreads/king solomon?/negative encounters

Today as I was entering a store the man coming in behind me asked about my hair. I said I'd had them for 5 months. He asked me why I had them, I said because I loved them. Then he asked if I knew what dreadlocks meant. I said "what they mean to me?"and he said "no, what they actually mean", then he started asking if I knew anything about King Solomon, which I don't. After THAT he demanded to know my ethnicity even though I'm clearly white, when he realized I was 100% white he shook his head and walked away, saying "people don't like that!"

To me dreadlocks don't have a set meaning, their meaning is personal to whoever has them. But clearly they have a set meaning to other people, so I was wondering a) if anyone knows anything about Solomon, and b) if anyone has had to deal with interrogations like that before. This was my first time ever having a negative experience about my dreads, even though it wasn't that negative, I made sure to keep on smilin.

updated by @paige: 01/22/20 09:33:16AM

I wish I knew more about king Solomon. I grew up in a jewish home, but never got the whole picture. Just the stories they push on you in hebrew school when I was 10. I;d have to look deeper into that one. But people have been known to have locks before his time anyway. Ancient Egyptians wore them. Prechristian Irish and Normans had them. People from all over the globe before and after the times of the old testament wore their hair in locks for one reason or another. So for that person to single out King Solomon is a bit short sighted on his part. Luckily he did not get aggressive with that conversation. If so, you could just say that you don't know and would need to go home and research it. But that you still have yours for your own reasons. I think you handled it well. Yeah, just keep smiling. Someone else's beliefs are not of your concern. As long as neither of your beliefs don't stop your from being civil and respectful of each other, if not even being friends, don't worry about it.

I don't know much about him other than that he bore a son, Menelik, by the Queen of Sheba of which, Haile Selassie I was a direct descendant of..... Which is the only connection I can think of and, I may be wrong but, that is what I have been told by some of my history geek friends. <3

EDIT: Haile Selassie I = Jah, for those who don't already know.

Solomon was known to be able to control spiritual entities, including demons. Sages say he wrote the book of proverbs, and if you read it you understand that it is filled with wisdom as it has been said he was quite wise. There are such things as Solomon amulets, he was a mystical dude, able to manipulate matter thru spiritual means. I would def like to know what dreads have to do with him, but i have the feeling it has a lot to do with spiritual strength.

Baba Solomon was son of David so thats probably the connection.

I noticed that. That's why I deleted my post about it. I thought so, but wasn't sure when I wrote it. Then I checked and felt like I should just delete the post

Np. I enjoy these sort of topic.paige, ppl are always gonna define things within their context and feel strongly about them. This is ok, and it's something u will encounter a lot with locks. For some they are sacred and I think that's where he was coming from. You don't have to see the world the way he does.

ive only had a few like that on youtube

the thing is that dreads have diferent meanings to diferent cultures

to a muslim they dont mean the same as to a hindu or a christian or jew they have diferent meannings to buddhists etc etc etci would ask him whi[o he is to say whats real and what isnt aftrer all eazsch religios belief is just a belief not a fact and therefore ioits more an op[inion then anythong "real"

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My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

That answers some questions but not really the whole picture about King Solomon, I guess I'll check out google! I'm glad that it was a civil conversation too, I freeze up when people get aggressive with me ! I agree with everyone about people's own beliefs! Thanks everyone for your input.

He may have brought up Solomon because of Rastafari. Solomon was known to ingest herb (hence the term Solomon Herb referring to ganja) and was known for his wisdom. Its true that he tricked Queen Sheba into laying with him and she gave birth to David who became the ruler of Ethiopia. The importance of this is the scripture is that Jah had Our Lady Zion or Ark of the Covenant moved from Jerusalem to Ethiopia. Haile Selassie I (Ras Tafari Makonnen) is of direct lineage to King Solomon and Queen Sheba, the blood-line of King David and was elected King of King's Lord of Lord's Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Rasta's look to Revelations to see that Haile Selassie I's coronation is the fulfillment of prophecy, the return of Christ (soul not flesh he never had flesh but inhabited the body of Yeshua) to Earth in his kingly form. July 23rd was his 120th birthday and celebrated as even his body was never found. So for Rastafari King Solomon is a very very important man and direct correlation to locks as the priests of Mose's, John the Baptist, Sampson, and most likely I-Yesus Christos, Yeshua, or Jesus Christ as well (All three are the name of the flesh of Christ the last being an adaption by the Roman Catholic Church. Any self respecting Rasta however should respect others lives and decisions unless harmful to offers for they are not their own and between them and the universe. Not "us and them" for their is only I an I. Jah Bless.