white people with dreadlocks

there are many sites claiming white people should not wear dreadlocks because its stealing culture, or just does not look right

others claiming that for white people to have dreadlocks they must have dirty hair

so lets set the record straight

historically it is true that all culture and man himself most likely originated in africa and ofcourse dreads were a part of prehistoric mans reality since they had no combs r conditioners to prevent dreadlocks from forming.

but it is ignorant to assume when some migrated north and evolved into a more light skinned version that they no longer wore dreadlocks. in fact the earliest records of all cultures have refferences to dreadlocks, although not clearly by name.

instead there were references to "they wore the hair in long locks' or "he had hair like snakes" or in the case of the most well known biblical reference to samson "he worse 7 locks upon his head"

there were references to vikings and explorers who wore locks

in the bible joseph john the baptist samson and many believe jesus himself wore locks

dreadlocks were a huge part of jewish culture in the past and still are among muslims and hindos of some sects

as well as those who took christianity as seriusly as was intended as written in the bible

part of the belief that dreadlocks "belong" to black culture doesnt even come from the ancient origins but the rise in popularity in the 70's when rastafarian movement and religion gained mommentum. at that time rastafarians were mostly poor jamaican or ethiopian citizens who were inspired by the gift of land in ethiopa to all rastas by the emporer now concidered god jah rastafari.

the rastafarian movement was a religion and a philosophy that held the belief that the color of a mans skin should hold no more importance then the color of his eyes

it also, was a religion, religions are a belief in a devine being not a racial identity.. belief is a choice not a genetic fact of birth

if we lkook back at thousands of years of history dreadlocks were a part of every culture on earth worn by every race

evidence has been found that some native american tribes worse dreadlocks shortly after being discovered..by who? yes white europeans

long before being exposed to african culture

its also important to note that many who claim white people should not have dreadocks are black people who straighten their hair and admit they do it to 'fit in to a world where kinky african hairs not acceptible" so they admittedly use chemicals to imitate the white people hair then claim if white people dread they are tryig to imitate black people hair.

it is true between 1970 and maybe the early to mid 80's you did see way more black people with dreads then white, the rasta movement had an explosive start spreading wide and gaining acceptence then bob marley exposed the whole world to rasta culture

and many races and individuals embraced the religion and culture and made it their own

however the dreadlocks we see today are not all rasta related, some yes are strictly style (among blackds as well as whites and every other) but many if not most stuill hold some spiritual or religios significance even if not rasta (remember rasta grw from cristian which grew from jewish all of which share the same text cncerning dreadlocks)

i believe the rise isn dreadlocks popularity in the new milenium comes from many factors

1. a real sence that babylon is falling 2012 is comming the futures iuncertain and living more naturally and spiritualy is more important now then ever
2. pop cultures acceptence of dreadicks in all types of music movies even cartoons
3. a growing spirituality within all cultures
4. greatter acceptence of other cultures and gradual reduction in racism that used to seperate the races more

theres probably alot more that can be said on the subject but i was appaled at the stupidity i saw when i searched google for dreadlocks and saw at the bottom a link sayig white people with dreads and every single link was negativity

I found the same, many sites claiming white people with dreadlocks look stupid and such...and shouldn't wear them. I just thought "whatever" seriously, anyone can wear anything and it shouldn't matter.

Give it time i think the idea of american caucasions with dreadlocks in societyis still kinda in its infant stage so to speak. It will become more socially acceptable i am sure. Then it will not be seen as necessarily a "black thing" but a "human thing".

Well said S.E, I agree with most of your observations. There is a lot of ignorance around.

Personaly I dont come across much negativity here in Australia.but it is around in some. I dont understand that White people shouldn't have dreads. And if we do, we just trying to be something we not.

We are who we are! dreadlocked people.If we felt the need to let our hairdread and did'nt, well, then we would be fake people. We would'nt be true to ourselves. We would be living with someone else's idea of who we should be, what we should look like.I know, because I lived like this for 40 years. I thoughtIhad to fit in.

Now I am being me. I do not care what people think of how I look with dreadlocked hair. Or that I shouldn't because I white,or too old or any other reason they can come up with.

For me now my dreads are with me for the rest of my life. It is a spiritual thing with me now.

I do believe that Babylon is falling maybe not 2012 [I dont believe that ] but our modern society is in big trouble. My dreads will be with me to the end. I pray that that will be a long time away [ I want my dreads to reach the ground ] and that the world will go on and be better. I hope we canwork it out,for our children's sake's.

My dreads are also my way of dealing with loss. Very personal to me. I don't care what others may think. I am so disgustged with our modern society I do not want to look like all the "short back and side's" suits and uniforms of theso called respectable people. Respect is in your heart, not on what you look like.

White people with dreadlocks,? of cause, we are human! Dreadlocks are a human thing, Not a race issue.

S.E is right they have always been with us. Just look at the past. Go back far enough and you will find dreadlocks in all cultures. Thats just the way it is.

Peace ...

I couldn't agree more..

It seems that the roots of most of "modern man's" problem is the very false, contradiction of the term of "race".. there is only ONE race and that is human or what I like to say," Hue-Man. " Now are there many various cultures well of course, ethnicities certainly but, to divide people due to color of skin is just plain assinine all together and except to divide or discriminate or to conquer without feeling remote or to justify terrible bad behaviour, The term of race i.e. "Black or White" is just evil..however a serious long term thought process that is repeted over and over again because it used to describe an individual.. but unfortunately it still have a negative history of association with that and false information of history pertaining to culture as well.

Peace...

It seems that not only is this person ignorant but, got some serious toxic issues.. if this person isn't interested in enlightenment of the truth.. I would really try and cut this person loose...oh there is also the age old hueman emotion of jealousy and fear..or your just to brave to be yourself and they just don't get it.. either way, create a little space between you and them..

Sarah Hagan-Stuff said:

i love reading these posts! i had a girl tell me that because a black girl did my hair she "intentionally fucked up my hair for bein a white girl tryin to wear a black hair style" ..really? if that's not rascist and ignorant then idk what is! but this same person also told me my hair looks like matted dog hair and that my locks should be perfect and round right off the jump and she's "never" seen dreads look like mine..pssh she obviously hasn't seen much dreads

Peace ...

I couldn't agree more..

It seems that the roots of most of "modern man's" problem is the very false, contradiction of the term of "race".. there is only ONE race and that is human or what I like to say," Hue-Man. " Now are there many various cultures well of course, ethnicities certainly but, to divide people due to color of skin is just plain assinine all together and except to divide or discriminate or to conquer without feeling remote or to justify terrible bad behaviour, The term of race i.e. "Black or White" is just evil..however a serious long term thought process that is repeted over and over again because it used to describe an individual.. but unfortunately it still have a negative history of association with that and false information of history pertaining to culture as well.