Sistahs, I don't know about you but when I was young I was traumatized - yes, traumatized by one single object - the hot comb. Lye straighteners didn't really get popular until I was 9 years old, so before that I was under the hot iron. I had a large full glorious crown of nappy hair - van glorious!!! However, it was the duty of the older Wombyn in my house to tame it - to make sure it didn't stir up something awful, LOL!!! I think nappyness can be a catalyst for a personal revolution (not always but could be...) By the time I graduated from high school and my Mama couldn't tell me what to do, ha ha! I started to wear braids, then I sported a short afro, more braids until I decided I was going to loc. My hair rejoiced! You never seen someone's hair just grow like vines - it became my crown and glory. Ten years later, I cut them off and felt it was good for me as I wanted to see me not the hair. My hair likes being long so I just grew an afro but to be honest - picking it, combing it just brought back those memories of days of "taming my shrew". Now, I am somewhere in between with Sister Locs - high maintenance but not in an everyday kind of way...I love MY HAIR but it has been a journey!
I have been subscribing to SistahGoddess Mia's Going Natural Magazine for some time now. I think she has the most incredible pictures of natural hair styles and she also has this great contest she does called Miss Nappturality. Recently, we reconnected - here is what she is sayin'...
Why did you start the Going Natural Magazine?
After my book Going Natural; How to Fall in Love with Nappy Hair was
published, I wanted to stay in touch with my audience. So I built
http://going-natural.com to do so. When I realized that people were in
constant search of styles, product recommendations and such to care for
their natural tresses, I turned it into a magazine to cater to their needs.
Since then the site has only grown and it's only getting better. I hope your
audience wants to take a look.
Have you always been natural? If not, what made you decide to become
natural?
Oh no, not at all. I relaxed my hair for 14 years. When I started to notice
damage I started braiding my hair to rest and grow it and of course then I
would relax again and of course then my hair would break again.
I always thought it was my fault, that I didn't take good enough care of my
hair. When I saw a nearly bald spot for the 3rd time, I realized that I
seriously needed to stop using relaxers because whatever I was advised and
tried wasn't working: lye, no lye, 2 month touchups, etc.
So the damage caused by relaxers made me go natural and stop using relaxers
stopped my hair damage problems.
What are the benefits of being a natural SistahGoddess?
For me it's healthy nearly stress free hair especially when I compare it to
my hair regimen when I was relaxing: going to a salon ever 2 months or more
for at least half a day, get my scalp burnt, I couldn't stand blow drying
then dealing with breakage and spending a fortune on products to manage and
keep my hair from breaking. Now, I only go to a salon when I choose to, my
scalp stays healthy, I never blow dry and I don't have to deal with the
breakage so it is a breeze.
Can you speak a little about your Miss Nappturality?
O yes absolutely! I started this great pageant 2 years ago to take natural
hair to the next level of beauty and acceptance and I am happy to say that
it's so successful.
It's an online contest in search of America's Next Natural Model. Each model
receives a basket full of products that they need to use during the pageant.
Two great sponsors this year were Jamaica Mango & Lime and Sula NYC and the
models loved their products.
The winner of 2010 is Teesha Borum, a wonderful beautiful model/actress from Atlanta. Her shoots picture not only her beauty and talent but also her creativity and the fun she has in modeling. You can check out her photos and interview with her on the site: http://going-natural.com
What's your top Natural Hair care product for 2010?
During the Miss Nappturality pageant, the models choose the Going Natural
Almond shampoo as a favorite so I think it's high up their but I believe my
top product for 2010 is my own home-made multi usage hair gel. I used it in
the picture you see to flex-rod set my hair and for the first time it
worked. It's my main product now. A few of my friends have used it and
really like it so it will definitely be on the market this year. You will
definitely hear more about it in the coming months.
How can a SistahGoddess learn more?
Every SistahGodess can learn more by visiting Going Natural at http://going-natural.com and please leave comments to let me know what you think.
Mia has decided to join in on the Goddess Give-A-Way fun! She is going to Gift a SistahGoddess blogspot subscriber with a bottle of her Goddess-loved, Going Natural Almond Shampoo! She will pick the best answer to this question (make sure you post your answer as comment on this post)
Tell us your best Going Natural story!
The winner will be chosen this Sunday, January 31st! So, check back often!
Day 24 of 40 Days of Prosperity
Sistahs, it feels good to be validated. It feels good when you meet people who you resonant with because sometimes being on a journey to heal yourself can be lonely work or a better way to think of it is "solo work". It is an Intimate Journey on a quiet road - every once in a while you see another traveler but often its just you figuring it out. Yes, the Goddess/God is present and so are your Ancestors and the Spirit Guides but it feels good to have human connection when you have those "ah hah" moments. So, SistahGoddesses I encourage you to greet Wyld Wombyyn when you see them on the road - you could just make a friend!
Day 24 Affirmation - 40 Day Prosperity Plan:
24.Through my consciousness of my God-Self, the Mother/Goddess/God/Father within, as my Source, I draw into my mind and feeling nature the very substance of Spirit. This substance is my supply, thus my consciousness of the Presence of God within me IS my supply.
Have a BEAUTIFUL day!
Hugs,
Sis. C
Posts
3 comments:
my best going natural story:
when i was about 14, i begged for a relaxer because i was tired of the hot comb...i was always getting burned, it was too much effort and the smell was still doing awful things to my nose. after getting permission, my friend and i put a perm in my cottony little briar patch and within a few weeks, my hair was breaking so much that it had to be cut down to about an inch. It was my first, and last, perm...I learned how to "blow out" my hair but by 17, i'd had it with that, too. So I started rocking cornrows...and they were NOT popular [unless one wanted to go the extensions route and i did not]. I became a dread at age 22 [and locs were ABSOLUTELY not popular at that point; as a part of my political and spiritual journey, I embraced locs with fierce joy and pride]...the beauty of being 'unique' is that I learned lots about natural hair and have taken such pleasure in encouraging other young women to take a 'natural path'. i haven't looked back since, except to tell the story of my one experience with the dreaded relaxer! :)
@Karen SC,
Yes, the sizzle of that lovely hot iron!!! Its funny how once you go natural you never go back! A SistahGoddess can rock whatever look she wants but something in those naps in POWERFUL! Thanks for sharing, Sis!
Hugs,
Sis. Camara
I need that shampoo in my life- lol! Thanks for this contest.
So much to say about my hair journey. I'm all to familiar with the ear's/nape of neck and scalp burns from hot combing, perming and dry curling. I'm Haitian and Cuban- my mother waited unusually long to tame our curly, nappy, beautifully unruly hair. I recall the anticipation of our bi-weekly hair sessions, the stress of it all. I loved having straight and "manageable" hair- I did not like the process.
As a young adult, I began to reflect on racism/sexism/ oppression...I realized that part of my hair "processing" was a huge lie. The images of beauty that I saw and tried to replicate were not of me or for me. It was internalized racism at it's best and it was time that I revolted and find my own hair story. I was not invested in playing the game any longer.
I cut off my perm- cut it down to my scalp and rocked a fade. I felt so powerful and free. After experimenting with curly fro's braids and twist... My hair is now a beautiful cascade of honey/black/blond locs. I have my hair moments but the "growth" journey that I have endured has been so worth it. I've learned so much about my spirit and strength!
I'm natural for my big and lil' sisters who need to see more examples of other natural womyn- for by daughters, niece's and nephew..they need to know the value of black beauty..for my ancestors who rocked their natural manes proudly, for my husband who's love is as strong as one of my many ropes..and finally for me because I love myself and I am beautiful!
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