“The U.S. really pushes light skin, and straight hair BUT I am seeing the U.S. incorporate more ethnic beauty in the media. It’s so refreshing!!!” ~she2.petite
BGLH: Where do you live? Where you reppin’?
S2P: I live in Atlanta. My family is 100% Jamaican so I would say I identify with that most. I grew up in the states. I usually spend summers/vacations with my paternal grandmother in Westmoreland, but my mother is from Kingston. Every Jamaican American family is different. My family is older and more traditional but very Jamaican nonetheless. Goat-head soup for life.
BGLH: Your hair was very healthy and beautiful when it was relaxed. A lot of women wouldn’t leave that behind. So why did you decide to cut it all off and go natural?
S2P: I took pretty good care of my hair when i had relaxed hair. I decided to go natural because I was tired of being a slave to my hair dresser. Driving three hours skimping on buying groceries to afford getting my hair done. Wanting color and being afraid my hair would fall out. I thought about how much I loved playing with my new growth, it always felt really good. I wished my whole head felt like that. I get restless and I’m cheap. I like change.
BGLH: When and how did you transition into natural hair?
S2P: I transitioned in May ’07 until December ’07 then I big chopped.
BGLH: You have amazing styles! Where do you get style inspiration from?
S2P: I get my inspiration from being bored on the weekends and experimenting with my hair. I’ll wear the style a few times until it’s exactly how I want it.
BGLH: Could you describe your products and regimen?
S2P: I prefer natural products but I do use gel sometimes.
BGLH: I saw in one of your albums that you said that you wanted to resist society’s standard of beauty. Were you referring to Jamaica or America, and what, in your opinion, is the standard of beauty in those cultures?
S2P: I was referring to American standards because that’s where I live. I’ve noticed that America is way more strict on what is considered attractive. There are so many perspectives in both cultures. Jamaica is more accepting of traditionally African features mainly because the dominant culture is of African decent. Though they have a tendency to make note of skin tone with terms such as brownin’ etc which is no worse than red bone/yellow bone in the U.S. The U.S. really pushes light skin, and straight hair BUT I am seeing the U.S. incorporate more ethnic beauty in the media. It’s so refreshing!!!
BGLH: And what’s the best thing about being natural?
S2P: How unique it can be. The versatility.
Thanks for the insights! You can see more of she2.petite at http://public.fotki.com/romasuki/.
yes indeed, Goat-head soup for life, lol. her hair is really cute!!
@ BGLH and Anonymous 3.25. Post Colonial societies like Jamaica and other Caribbean countries as well as India….tend to have an obsession with hair length and texture as well as a love affair with all things and people foreign.
Too many times I have seen where the rules change if your were a tourist or foreigner…..it's difficult to explain. It's has to be experienced to understand. While I am not saying your mom was treated favorable for her "American "ness" it is quite possible. Also the more educated and powerful you are the more accepting your natural hair would be….
Natural hair lawyers and "cultural' artists- Ok
Natural Hair Teachers or clerks – not so much
love
beautiful sister! beautiful hair!
I loooooove the fro in the first pic.
Love the hair and love the interview!!
beautiful hair!
i'm definitely copying some of those styles.
her hair is pretty! lol
her hair is pretty! lol
her hair is pretty! lol
her hair is pretty! lol
her hair is pretty! lol
her hair is pretty! lol
her hair is pretty! lol
Yay, Atlanta represent!
@ Tammyanka… it's kind of interesting cuz a similar thread is going on in the sunday retrospective on natural hair in the DR.
my mom had a not-so-great experience in Jamaica, mainly because she was a dark-skinned black american. yes, there were a few people who wanted to associate with her because she was american, but when they found out that she was "just from the hood" in detroit, they were quick to dissociate.
plus, a lot of jamaicans look down on african americans. we all know the stereotypes; jamaicans think african americans are lazy, uneducated, etc, etc.
my mom had a really really rough time. my dad was accepted more since he was haitian and could relate to the caribbean culture.
jamaicans are very self sufficient, and in my experience, not very impressed with foreigners. i certainly wouldn't say that they are isolationist. but it's a tight knit culture.
but in regards to the issue of hair; my mom rocked natural hair her whole time living there and it wasn't an issue. she kept it pulled back all the time, and her hair was pretty long, so i'm sure that helped.
i grew up in kingston, and had a lot of friends in montego bay. so those are the two areas of the island that i know best. i don't know how things are in other parts of the island.
@ tammyanka… oh, one thing i forgot to mention.
my little sister is in jamaica right now interning at the department of forestry and she's natural. well, she goes between her natural hair and wigs, but she hasn't had any complaints when she shows up with her natural hair.
on a side note tammyanka, you and my lil sis have a lot in common. she is studying geology and is a hard-core environmentalist. she goes to school in chicago, but her interest is doing environmental work in the caribbean
I love all of those styles. beautiful hair!
Whhooo Jamaica (i live in canada though..but whateves that makes me Jamacadian right?) in this MUHH. Lol. sorry. anyways..
her hair is AWESOME and she is beautiful. Wow. thanks a lot for this whole interview!
-major props-
Whhooo Jamaica (i live in canada though..but whateves that makes me Jamacadian right?) in this MUHH. Lol. sorry. anyways..
her hair is AWESOME and she is beautiful. Wow. thanks a lot for this whole interview!
-major props-
Whhooo Jamaica (i live in canada though..but whateves that makes me Jamacadian right?) in this MUHH. Lol. sorry. anyways..
her hair is AWESOME and she is beautiful. Wow. thanks a lot for this whole interview!
-major props-