Why Wearing Braids Without Understanding Their Cultural Significance is Cultural Appropriation
Hair styling has served as a significant component of diverse cultures worldwide for centuries. Braids especially have become increasingly popular in the Western world. However, many individuals who wear braids have no idea about the cultural importance and background behind them. This lack of understanding is what constitutes cultural appropriation. Cultural appropriation becomes an issue when members of a dominant culture use elements of a minority culture without acknowledging the cultural significance of the elements they are borrowing. This article delves deeper into why wearing braids without understanding their cultural significance is cultural appropriation.
The History of Braids
Braiding hair is not something that originated in one culture or one location. Braiding and plaiting hair date back over 5000 years and have played a substantial role throughout history in a wide variety of cultures. The ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans documented their hairstyles in sculptures and paintings, with braids featuring prominently. This shows that braids have been an essential aspect of fashion and culture globally, showcasing their versatility and their cultural significance.
Moreover, braids have acted as a symbol of heritage and social status within different cultures. Many African tribes braided hair to describe a person’s tribe and social standing. Amongst the Akan people of Ghana, hair braiding was restricted to people of high social status such as royalty to symbolize their importance. As such, braids hold significant value to several communities worldwide, and wearing them without acknowledging their cultural value can essentially become a form of oppression to the same communities.
Cultural Appropriation Through Braid-Wearing
When the dominant culture brands a cultural element as fashionable and trendy, while simultaneously ridiculing the same element when it’s worn by people belonging to that cultural background, it becomes unfair. For example, in the United States and Europe, black Americans who wear braids can face discrimination and negative stereotypes like being labeled as ghetto or unprofessional. Hence, when non-black people who wear braids receive compliments and admiration for this hairstyle, it feels insensitive and disrespectful to black people’s experiences. It’s essential for non-black people not to take credit for something that holds cultural and social significance.
Braids have been a significant part of black culture for generations, indicating black people’s resistance against oppression and discrimination. During the transatlantic slave trade, braids were used as maps to guide slaves to freedom using the Underground Railroad. In many black communities, braids are still woven with the cultural heritage of the people who wear them. Therefore, they need to be valued and respected for their significant cultural and symbolic importance.
Conclusion
In conclusion, braids showcase cultural heritage, social status, and resistance against oppression. Wearing braids has been, particularly impactful for black individuals, and its popularity and trendiness have led to non-black people wearing them without understanding their cultural significance. Cultural appropriation can only stop when everyone, irrespective of their cultural background, becomes aware of the cultural value of braids and other elements of minority cultures. Everyone must ensure that they appreciate and respect the cultural backgrounds of the elements they wish to include in their lives. In summary, before anyone decides to braid their hair, it’s essential to acknowledge the cultural significance of this hairstyle.
