Should we now change our hairstyles?

Rosalia David

FOLLOWING the announcement this week that South Africa’s natural beauty Zozibini Tunzi won the Miss Universe 2019 contest, many Namibians went all out on social media to congratulate her while bashing those who do not wear their own hair.

Oh yes, at last a woman who proudly demonstrates her African identity won but the question is, does that now make other women un-African who prefer weaves? This topic has been debated for as long as I can remember but my impression is that Namibian men continue to look down on those who do not wear their own hair, forcing us to remove our Brazilian hair extensions because of society’s comments.

What is more confusing is the fact that some men apparently prefer women who do not wear make-up and who flaunt their natural hair. Some demand this from their wives, but continue to cheat on their natural hair wives with the ‘un-African’ ones. What attracted you in the first place, was it not the looks?

Have you ever taken a walk in the mall and counted the number of people wearing weaves and those that do not? If you did, then you would agree with me that half of Namibians do alter their hair for different reasons, some of which are unknown and or personal.

Some people say it is because they lack confidence, but possibly they just like the look and enjoy styling their hair differently each day.

Yes, African men got jokes, the same men complaining about women altering their hair are the same ones that flash wads of dollars to buy their significant others expensive Brazilian hair ‘to look good’.

Can we make it a habit to accept people as they are, with a natural look or not, their personalities don’t change?

Hair has become a political issue across Africa now, it’s enough! Whether we want to use chemical relaxers to straighten our hair, it’s a choice made. Of course, we are aware of the fact that ‘natural’ is beautiful but let people feel pretty in any way they like.

Besides, African hair is versatile, with endless hairstyles to choose from, the continent has been flooded with relaxers to smooth that stubborn kink anyways, why should we suffer?