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

I've been told my locks don't look like "real dreads" and that white people can't wear them, but that's mostly from my students so I don't take it to heart, I just use it as teachable moment to talk about stereo-types and confining yourself and others by preconceived notions. That usually makes my student's eyes glaze over, but I like the opportunity to teach none the less.

I wear locks as a physical representation of my rejection of westernized images of beauty and refusal to be crushed by the slavery to the status quo. Lots of people I run into seem to believe locks began in Jamaica with the Rasta movement but that's not the case. I've heard Solomon wore them, but don't know about it. I've heard that locks are believed to be akin to antennae to tap pull energy and wisdom from the natural (or spiritual) world which seems to tie into the wisdom of Solomon. John the Baptist (also a Biblical figure) wore them in a addition to other religious and royal figures through out history in a variety of cultures.

Lots of great information in this thread.

updated by @theri-landgraver: 07/23/15 03:42:45PM

very well put and its true true rastas respect others and the color of the skin dont matter

but there are "seperatists" churches like in philly we have the church of the black jesus or something like that

very angry racist people when i lived in an all black neighbourhood they would often set up a stand on the street with bo=ullhorns shoutting all kinds of crap about the white devil etc one year we had a rainbow picnic in the park and we were drumming..next to us was another group drumming as well so we went over being very freindly and asked if they wanted to join us..nobody spoke or even met outr weyes except for 1 that seemed lije a "leader" type just said "we dont integrate" and that was that not another word..we were shocked..i mean bloiwn over shocked .. we were all about unity an d interdependence and heres these others ..a group of african americans wgho youd think would remember the days of segregation but now they practice voluntary segregation

in philly we also have move which many of you probably heard of as radicals etc maybe even terrorists (not true at all they are wonderful people) now move were radical back to africa movement folks taking the last name africa etc but they were very freindly and respectful to others ramona being one of the swetest wisest people i knoweven after the city tried to burn them all alive they still remained wonderful people ..str9ng..yes they didnt back down from their convictions and stoood up for their rights and thats what got them murdered..but they never got hate filled racist or ever said anything like you dont deserve dreads

anyway im babbling..haha

Cameron Sean said:

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.

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My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

Solomon was a great magician and like Samson his hair (dreads?) Had never been cut and it was believed to be the source of his strength and power. I don't know much at all about rastafarians, but that's what I know based on my christian upbringing. I'm a pagan myself and one spirit I follow closely is the Cherokee Long Man. He suggested I dread. I still haven't found anything on Cherokee culture as pertains to dreadlocks, but that Long Man asked it of me is proof enough to me that spiritual meaning behind dreadlocks transcends race and religion.

i dont know about cherokee culture and dreads but back in the 1800's there were cheifs and others from other tribes who had worn dreads there used to be alot of pictures from that period on here but they dont seem to be here anymore

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

Man this thread is fascinating...I should've paid more attention in Hebrew school cuz I couldn't even remember who Solomon was.

only you give them meaning

I wonder if he meant Samson (or Shimshon as you may have learned in class baba)? Samson had taken the natzerite vow at an early age. This meant that he wasn't allowed to cut his hair, eat or drink anything from the vine, or touch a dead body. A vow was undertaken as a devotion to Yahweh and after the vow was accomplished, one was required to shave his head. It was assimed that he had seven braids or locks. Samson was so devout that he was rewarded with an amazing strength that would remain with him until he cut his hair. He jeopardized this when he told his Wife Delilah who had been bribed by the philistines to find the secret out. When he is asleep she has his seven locks cut. He is captured, blinded, and thrown into prison. He is summoned to a sacrifice to Dagon. In prison his hair grows long again and he uses his strength to push over two pillars, destroying the temple of Dagon, and killing many many philistines who were gathered on the roof to watch. You can read about him in Shof'tim (Judges): 14-16.

I learned all about that story. Never heard of him called Shimshon, though

Shimshon Is just more of a Hebraic tongue I guess. Same as if you were to call Moses "Moshe" or Jeremiah "Yeremeyahu".

Or like Johnathon= Yehotnaton