Hi ppl, I've been on here for last 4 months and thought it was about time I introduced myself.
I had dreads 21 yrs ago when I was 16 for a while (T&R) as I believed you had to have curly hair for it to dread. All my mates back then who had dreads had naturally very curly hair. I got rid of them as I didn't like the way they turned out and grew my hair but dreads were always in my mind.
I got into the free party(rave scene) for a many years following the sound system around the country from party to party takin vast amounts of E and other mind bending drugs. Some of the best times of mylife. This slowed down in mid 90's after 1 of the biggest free partys happened, 30,0000+ people got together for a massive 2 week party at Castle Morton (u.k) google it (rave castle morton). The police were unable to do anything to stop it and realised they were in the shit and this could not happen again so they introduced the crimminal justice bill public order act. Most of the big sound systems of that time (spiral tribe,bedelum,circus norm, diy to name a few) left the u.k and drove to Europe where they started putting on parties. Alot of the travellers/party ppl who stayed got into Heroin (as did I) which suddenly become available. Many believe it was introduced to break down this huge growin community of ppl known as New aged travellers to weaken them and split them up so no more Castle Mortons would happen again. In 1992 I never heard of anyone taking or selling Heroin but within a couple of years it had flooded the travellers sites.
From there the next 10yrs of my life I was living the life of a Heroin addict and lost a few of my best friends to heroin. Instead of living from 1 party to the next it was now now fix to fix. I wanted to get off it but couldn't, then my girlfiend at that time became pregnant and finally this gave me what I needed to get off that crap, it took a year or 2 but I done it. The thought of my child havin a junkie as a dad was unthinkable. I also cut my long hair for a new start and a new me.
My next step was getting a job as I had been unemployed for the past 5 yrs, yes I worked for the 1st 5 yrs of being a heroin addict. I've always had a caring nature so I went for a job working with vulnerable adults with learning difficulties, challenging behaviour, autism etc which I got and loved. 6yrs later I am still there. I got together with a girl from work who is from The Gambia, Africa and we had beautiful mixed raced twin girls( who's hair is perfect for dreads lol)
In Nov 2010 I went to Gambia for the 1st time to see my African family. I went out on my own a few times and met a few of the local lads who showed me the Gambian way. Takin me to places tourist don't get to go and sample some of there plants and even trusted me enough to take me to there grow fields. All of these guys had incredible dreads (no interlocking,comb twist etc lol). All they do is rub there head with a piece of wool when its 2 inches and outgrows incredible dreads. All this time I'm thinkin I've gotta get dreads but wasn't sure what my straight hair would produce. I made a promise to them I will be returning to Gambia and will have dreads. They said they had never seen a white guy with dreads so I promised they would when I return.
When I returned to U.k I done abit of research and found this site and found that I could do it and keep my hair clean. Back in the day when all my mates had dreads they never washed them and if they did it was only with water once they were fully locked. I know it sounds gross but most of them had really well formed dreads. I am now 5 months into natural/neglect with hair thats only 4 inches. I have lots of baby dreads forming. I have also booked my flight to Gambia for end of November so hopefully by then they will have progressed alot more and I will of kept my promise. Sorry if I've rambled on but know you know abit about me and thanks S.E for the great site. Love, peace and acid groove x
updated by @bones2: 01/13/15 09:03:55PM