NATURAL IN SOUTH AFRICA

NATURAL IN SOUTH AFRICA

The natural hair movement has acquired influence and tremendous following all over the world. There some countries that are still a little behind in terms of accepting people with natural hair as they are and understanding what the movement is all about. Having natural hair and considering yourself a naturalista has a different meaning for everyone. As a 19 year old natural hair content creator living in South Africa, being natural has various meanings, some of which are personal and some are connected to my county’s past and where I believe it is headed. 

Before you understand what it’s like being a natural in South Africa, you firstly need to understand South Africa’s unique racial history. 26 years ago South Africa saw the end of the Apartheid regime, an era that was characterised by racial oppression and segregation where elite institutions were reserved for white South Africans. 26 years later, South Africans are still suffering the effects of the Apartheid era, especially black South Africa. 

Before you understand what it’s like being a natural in South Africa, you firstly need to understand South Africa’s unique racial history. 26 years ago South Africa saw the end of the Apartheid regime, an era that was characterised by racial oppression and segregation where elite institutions were reserved for white South Africans. 26 years later, South Africans are still suffering the effects of the Apartheid era, especially black South Africa. 

Wearing my natural hair in South Africa has become both a personal and political act. It is a political act in that over 26 years ago failing the pencil test, a racial test that was instituted by the Apartheid regime used to determine race, would have meant being illegitimated by the Apartheid system and deserving of inferior, inhumane treatment. Me being natural in democratic South Africa is a symbol of power, this is me reclaiming the power that was once taken away from my ancestors because of their curl patter. Me being natural feels like owning my identity and priding myself in a look that constituted ill treatment. I have kinks and I love them!

With South Africa now being a democratic and free country, black women still feel pressured to assimilate newly accessible spaces by straightening their hair. These are pressures coming from corporate South Africa and previously white schools, where the codes of conducts are a direct attack on African hair and are an indication of the journey that we as South Africans are still to embark on to fight and eradicate Eurocentric professionalism and beauty norms. The fight against these Eurocentric norms exists and was seen in August 2016 when students from Pretoria High School for Girls protested against the school rule that banned them from wearing their natural hair or having any protective hairstyles, such as thick braids. In as much as the activism displayed by these students was inspiring and was a glimpse into the future of the natural hair movement in South Africa, South Africa still has a numerous amount of schools that refuse to tolerate and accept black student with their natural hair. There are still schools and cooperate spaces that discriminate against black women with natural hair under the guise of professionalism and maintaining neatness among the pupils. The activism shown by the Pretoria Girls High students needs to carry on to a point where there are clear laws banning and declaring any form of discrimination towards anyone with natural hair as unconstitutional, even if the discrimination seems subtle

As I have mentioned, black women are pressured to straighten their hair in order to fit into newly accessible spaces that were previously reserved for white people. Black women thus succumb to these pressure because of many reasons. One reason that I believe makes black women succumb to these pressures is, lack of education. There are numerous YouTube videos and magazine articles on make-up and other beauty content. However, there are very limited resources on natural hair care and maintenance in South Africa. This then leads to South African women turning to American youtubers to learn about natural hair. In as much as this could be a starting point, it can also be problematic because South African hair and American hair does not grow in similar conditions and the products used in America are not the same as those used here in South Africa. This observation prompted me to create my own natural hair and beauty blog called Intent that is all about pushing the natural hair agenda forward. I have had natural hair for 3 years and to a certain extent my hair journey is still a learning process. Many South Africans with natural hair are still learning and have only just entered their trial and error phase. I use my natural hair blog to share my personal journey with natural hair. This way South African women with natural hair have someone they can look to in order to get insight on taking care of natural hair in a South African context. 

With all of that being said, the South African natural hair space is growing even though it is at quite a slow pace. There are a few natural hair content creators who have emerged and have initiated natural hair master classes where newly naturals can go and learn about the different way they can take care of their hair. These master classes are quite beneficial because they give you practical examples and they provide you with demonstration that will enable you to do what is demonstrated, on your own. The problem with these master classes however, is that they are not advertised as big events and because of this, only people in natural hair group chats are likely to know about these. Another problem is the prices of these master classes, they tend to be very expensive and someone who is not that invested in their hair would not see attending a R750 natural hair workshop as worthy. So, people who don’t have the money to attend these master classes or live far from where they are usually hosted, and want to grow healthy natural hair and are looking for inspiration to keep the natural hair agenda moving, should acquaint themselves with South Africa natural hair content creators such as, Myself Tshepang Langa, Sinovuyo Mondliwa, Yolz Jawe, Acalaca and many more.

South Africa has the potential to make the natural hair agenda a great success. The same way we were able to free ourselves from an oppressive regime 26 years ago, is the same way we can fight existing systems that hinder us from flourishing and living our best natural hair lives. Remember, it is never too late to return to your natural hair and it is never too late to start taking care of it, wearing it proud and pushing the natural hair agenda forward! I have kinks and I love them!

SHORT BIO:

Tshepang Langa is a 19 year old natural hair content creator from the capital of South Africa, Pretoria. She is currently in her 2nd year of BA (Law) at the University of Pretoria. She has been natural for 3 years and has is passionate about learning and teaching about natural hair through her natural hair and beauty blog, Intent, as well as, through her Instagram hair series called ‘Hair talks with Tshepang’. Through these platforms she shares her journey and experience with growing and taking care of natural hair with her readers and viewers. She also imparts whatever newly found knowledge she has on natural hair on her social media platforms to help close the gap of natural hair content creators that exists in South Africa and Africa as a whole. Her platforms inspire her to advocate for natural hair and the rights of individuals who have chosen to return to their natural hair and are being discriminated against because of their choice. She has kinks and she loves them!