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African American hair care culture, Afro-Asian, Afro-textured hair, Afroetic hair, Afroetic narrative, asian afro, Asian Afro Perm, asian braids, black culture, Black Diaspora, culture, Hair care, Japan, Japanese Afro perm, Lee Myung Bak, Lee Myung Bak's Afro, perspective, reggae perm, South Korea
Remember my previous post many moons ago, when I went trolling for pictures of what I considered to be the phenomena of Asians sporting afro’s, braids and dreadloc’s. However, it appears this has been a trending style in South Korea for more than a score, and perhaps even longer in Japan than I originally imagined.
S. Korea’s Prime Minister Lee Myung Bak’s Afro from back in the day
It hasn’t escaped my notice that it is that post in particular that has lead many to my blog and which has gotten the most hits, linkbacks, and ‘likes’, included search terms with the tags ‘asian afro’, ‘afro asian’, ‘korean dude with dreadlocks’ ‘asian afro perm’ ‘afro hair’ ‘natural afro hair’ and many other variations and combinations. As the internet term goes, it’s ‘trending’ the web so to speak.
Having read through some of the discussions on different websites, forums, and blogs, there is some stigma among some Black people that this emulation ‘natural’ Afro-American hair is to be considered a mockery of ‘black culture/people’ or an offense. As a Southern black woman who not only wears my hair in it’s natural state, but also ventured on my own loc journey 5yrs ago (after wearing my hair in an Afro for 3yrs) that resulted in a spiritual re-evolution of my holistic inner-self, I can certainly tell the difference between admiration/inspiration and mockery while even keeping an awareness of the ‘posers’ (the ones who aggravate a bad name for everyone else). With that in consideration, i wanted to give some insight to my perspective, and I thank Regina at the ExpatJane blog for providing her personal and thoughtful insight into the queries of the trending Asian Afro from the Korean peninsular, having lived in South Korea for many years.
Regina makes an excellent point about how ‘afro textured hair’ has been so throughly vilified both historically and even now in popular media (remember the Don Imus controversy) that even within the Black Diaspora ‘afro natural hair’ is looked upon as subversive and sometimes just ‘undesirable’. Regina rightly points out that “Let’s just say that while almost every race of people have no problems wearing their hair as is, in black culture it’s looked upon as odd and subversive. That’s not to say that other races don’t seek to change, enhance or otherwise just play around with their hair. It’s just a bit different when the texture of your hair has literally been vilified……..[thus] the eventually internalization of the “super coily Afro hair is bad” aesthetic within the black disapora.”
And so it seems that, those who would see this as some kind of Asian appropriation of black culture is right…but I however disagree that it is a just out-right mockery of black culture. It’s my opinion that it is only a mockery or offense to those who are still not comfortable enough to wear their ‘own natural hair’ It’s like…..”how dare they admire or fashion trend something I myself as a black person wouldn’t even be caught dead wearing” While some black women give more excuse than a guy going to jail as to why they chemically straighten their hair, everything from “girl…my hair is too nappy for that” (when in reality they have been conking their hair since they were 4 or 5yrs old and don’t even know what the real texture of their hair is)..or I even heard this one before “Seriously, are you like on some ‘going back to Africa’ thing?” (when in reality, relaxers and weaves are all over the place on the African continent and Africans themselves are no more immune to the internalization of ‘eurocentric standards of beauty than black americans are perceived to be’.) And my favorite has something to do along the lines of preference (when in reality, so much of ‘personal preference’ has been programmed into people via popular media images and the pressures of societal ‘norms’ and standards of beauty that places European aesthetic above all in terms of perceived ’desirability’.)
In conclusion, I want to end this post with an observation that fickle minds have yet to consider. Many aspects of Asian culture has been appropriated for western audiences many times over. I see people with Japanese Kenji symbols tattooed on their body, with no valuable insight to it’s meaning and connotations. All the anime and manga fans simply miss the point. It’s ironic that those that complain about the narrow-minded view in which black people are view fail to also sympathize and articulate the shared experience in which Asians/Asian Americans are typically viewed. Impacts of European colonialism and globalization can be found around the globe, including Eastern Asia and the pacific where the market of cosmetic’s and the pursuit of ‘ideal standards of beauty’ (which are markedly Western in orientation in some regard) is a very large and lucrative business. In likeness..the industry behind black hair care in the West, (with all the chemicals, products, and of all things weaves (human hair comes from Asia mind you) is a billion dollar industry that the demographic that are the targeted consumers have no tangible investment in. So, if we are going to be offended by the appropriation of ‘black hair styles’ on non-black people, and have presumptuous opinions of Black people who do and/or want to embrace a more natural self, then perhaps we should be taking back our ‘blackness’ and appropriating our own culture and setting our own standards of beauty. Just a thought!!! Perhaps getting rid of this learned ‘shame of black aesthetics’ is the first step. How can one love and appreciate others with out fully loving and appreciating ones-self, and most importantly, how can you expect others too do the same of you?
Perhaps India Aire put’s it into song better than i can in words…
Decolonize your mind and free yourself from mental slavery.
with love in mind,
Afroetry
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This is a wonderful post. I’ve been natural since 2005 ad most of the people who have side-eyed my hair have been other black folk. I also hate this notion of being natural as some kind of ‘trend’. How is something that I’m born with and that is growing out of my head a trend?
I’ve heard other black people call natural hair “Dirty looking” and “Unprofessional” I have a four year old little girl, and I’m seeing little black girls as young as three getting relaxers put in their hair! I saw you earlier post on Asians wearing there hair braided etc., and I have to admit they looked lovely. I don’t know whether its their bone structure or what, but it suits them. My ex who is Filipino/Japanese wore his hair braided and would get lots of compliments from black people.
I’ll be honest when I see white people rocking dreads and african-braided styles, I roll my eyes.
@nicoleh73: Thanks for you comment and sharing your words. There certainly is a stigma against ‘natural hair’ in the black community (which i hope will change). I agree with Regina that this is mostly from Africans being held as slaves, colonization, the Tignon Laws (postbellum US law which required black women to cover their hair as not to “offend” white women with our exotic looks). I actually started working at the bank when i had an afro and later started growing my locs…and i don’t regret it. I get plenty of compliments and turn the heads people male and female, black and non-black. Perhaps it’s all according to perception, wrapped in a conundrum of experience however, it takes a great bit of courage and a strong sense of self to allow your natural hair to grow free and unhindered with chemical processes to ‘improve’ afro hair texture.
I agree, I think it works for some Asians, who definitely wear it well, the same goes for some whites who adorn themselves with the afro bohemian style, but honestly, I’ll scrutinize any non-black person rocking dreads and braids and afro’s who give me good reason too. I’ve met a few people who were of obvious Asian descent with kinky hair, and would be shocked when they spoke with a Jamaican patois accent. ~>’-'<~
Yes! A close friend of mine has a Jamaican mother and a Chinese father. She’s from Brooklyn. She’s been natural since birth! She wore an afro through out high school and she now has her hair in locs.
I admit it does take courage to go natural. I always wanted to be natural, but my grandmother decided to relax my hair when I was about 14 years old. I remember asking her why I needed that in my hair, and she never had an answer for me. I always said if I ever have a daughter I will never put chemicals in her hair. She wears two afro puffs and she really loves her hair.
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I am very wary when it comes to cultural appropriation.
I feel that most of the time when Asians adopt aspects of “Black culture” they are doing it because they view it as cool or as a trend rather than because they seriously appreciate the cultures and contributions of Black people. I’m comfortable calling it a trend because, using Lee Myung Bak as an example, he had an Afro then but he doesn’t have one now. Why did he decide to wear an Afro back in the day? And why is he not wearing one now? If wearing an Afro back in the day was an expression of his appreciation of Black culture, how does he show that appreciation today when his Afro is no more?
I am mostly ambivalent towards Asians with Afros and braids except when they openly stereotype Black people and culture, and in worse cases turn out to be racists too. I think it’s misguided to view Asians sporting Afros and braids as appreciating Black culture until after knowing more about their views on Black people. I know I’ve been seriously let down by people who supposedly “appreciated” Black culture. And due to personal experiences, prefer to hang out with those who have no stated interests in “Black culture” than those who are openly into it. I’ve been friends with a few Asians who “loved” Black people and it turned out that was the only reason they wanted to be friends with me, because of the colour of my skin and my hair which they said was “cool”. Being a walking accessory is no fun. They’ve been from Brunei, Hong Kong and South Korea, while some had genuine interest in Black culture, others did not.
The main reason I’m not comfortable with appropriation is because I find it’s so offensive to copy other cultures while taking a dump on them at the same time, and this tends to happen a lot with Black cultures and contributions.
On the other hand, if Black people view natural hair as a trend among themselves, then that’s very serious problem. I went natural in 2007, now starting my loc journey. Choosing to let your hair remain in the state in which it naturally grows out of your scalp can and should never be a trend. You are 100% right when you say “perhaps getting rid of this learned ‘shame of black aesthetics’ is the first step”.
(Apologies for leaving such a long first-time comment!)
“I think it’s misguided to view Asians sporting Afros and braids as appreciating Black culture until after knowing more about their views on Black people. I know I’ve been seriously let down by people who supposedly “appreciated” Black culture.”
This is an excellent point cosmic. I find myself tuning a lot of stuff out because I’m emotionally and psychically drained by all of the rampant racism I see on a daily basis, especially within the KPOP world. (Blackface, etc..) I think there are people who feel like because someone “appreciates” certain aspects of black culture (Hip-hop, B-boy culture, dancing etc..) That they can’t harbor racists attitudes towards black folk.
@Cosmicyoruba: I’m not in disagreement with you sister. I wasn’t suggesting that ALL Asians wearing afro’s braids, and dreadlocs had an appreciation of black culture, I think when any group/race appropriate black culture, it gives cause to be a bit weary, and most of the time its because black culture is more often derived from a limited view/aspect of black culture with all it’s diversity and richness. With that said, it’s misguided to believe that when any person of non-black heritage sport or appropriate black culture that it means a show of solidarity and/or apprication. I wouldn’t be that naivete, so I agree 100% with you sistern. If we were to get technical, a lot if not most of what is considered pop-music in America has it’s origins in the African American community, not just hiphop/rap and R&B/Neo-Soul, but also ragtime, blues, jazz, gospel, rock & roll, and even country music is an innovation of rhythm, blues and rock, and with that said, this is what i keep in mind when i see obvious elements of ‘black culture’ in places like Asia. Keeping things in perspective, Black culture was first ‘appropriated’ by Anglo/Euro-America. And since ‘Anglo/Euro-American’ culture (otherwise identified as ‘western culture’ in general in Asia, and for good reason considering the racial-socio-economic hierarchy that is exemplified by American media) lets just say that the imported images of blacks within the social framwork of American media is also imported to media outlets in Asia. So, it’s not withstanding that Asians have adopted western notions of race and class, and that even the self image of Asians (respective of nationality) struggle with some sense of self in regards to “Western ideas and influence”. That’s not to say that I’m not aware of western style racism and prejudice in places like South Korea. Like Nicoleh73 pointed out, I have explored the world of K-pop found myself offended at the racism, or the appropriation of aspects of black culture but without black people while the artist themselves harbor prejudice and/or racist attitudes towards black people in general (POSERS is what i call them). like i said, i can differeniate between posers, those with a geninue curiosity and interest to learn, and those that are completely indifferent. Just like people would be quick to point out that ‘NOT ALL white people racist’ of course I’m sure the same can be applied to Asians, and as a person who follow the believe in the social and political tenets of Pan Africanism, I would like to see a more geninue show of Solidarity between Blacks/Africans and Asians/Asian Americans considering that both groups have a history of such solidarity in America during WW2 and even continuing into the later stages of the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S…..this probably deserves it’s own post altogether.
Reblogged this on Soul Hair and commented:
Great commentary on the article I just re-blogged below about Asians who love rocking the black fro.
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This is very interesting, am very pleased to know that the African hair is somewhat appreciated by people of other races , most especially when most Africans do not think its worth a thing.i ll be reblogging this ,Thank you.