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April 29, 2006
Dreaded Bliss: A Labor of Love
By KAT CAVERLY
I have always been about hair. HAIR I AM! But nothing compares to having
dreadlocks. First off I thought I couldn't have dreadlocks. Next I thought
it required no work at all. I was wrong on both counts.
Anyone, with any kind of hair, can make dreadlocks. And it requires many
rituals and lots of work and workers. You cannot do it alone and have beautiful
dreadlocks. And even with help, half the time they are very messy. It is part of
the locking process. That is why you see folks with dreadlocks wearing various
hats, scarves, tams, bandanas.
Washing dreadlocks is more of a bathing and requires planning. And within 24
hours you must wax and twist them otherwise they will combine and do their
own thing.
I love my dreadlocks. I even dream about them. But they are a constant surprise;
even a shock sometimes. They make me laugh and they cause me worries. They
have taken me more time than any other hairstyle or salon ritual to get use to and
above all they are a commitment.
And they look fabulous with tie-dye!
Posted by photocartoonist at April 29, 2006 12:21 AM
Comments
Hey Girl,
guess it has been quite a while since I've seen you. Your dreadlocks are awesome. Reminds me of Lawrence formerly o' the art department at RPP. (I lost track of him after he moved to SF - have you been in contact with him lately?)
Looks like all is going swimmingly for you. Life is good for me, too.
Miss EJ
Posted by: EJ Tobin at May 1, 2006 2:48 PM
so what do you do to look after your dreads?
Posted by: kylie at November 14, 2006 1:55 AM
Kylie, dreadies are like babies; they require lots and lots of love and attention.
Yes they are hair, but you donot wash them. They are bathed. I found it best to fill up a tub and soak them until they absorbed lots of water then you could work in a mild shampoo, something nice with peppermint oil and build up a lather. Then rinse thoroughly in the shower, making sure to get out all of the soap.
You can wash your dreadies as often as any hair but you must twist them after they get wet, or they will start to combine with each other and get quite messy.
I use to bathe them once every 2-4 weeks but spray them with a wonderful dread spray that contained peppermint oil for the scalp and eucalyptus oil. I also used various oils for the scalp and to keep the dredies fed.
There is lots of information on the Internet and ask people who have beautiful dreadlocks where they go to have them styled. You can even cut them into styles.
Posted by: Kat Caverly at November 21, 2006 11:22 PM
...well, my experience is completely different than yours...and so are the many people that i know who have roots...
all that it takes to have roots is to just throw your comb and brush away...
i think if you have to put all that work into your hair, you are fighting its natural way of being...
roots grow naturally, no twisting and wax and all that stuff...just wash and wear and they come out beautifully...
when people twist their hair, then they are not real roots, they are called twisties...
roots, locks, dreads occur naturally with no help at all...
your twisties are beautiful and are as long as my roots...
peace and keep on keepin,
peace...
Posted by: ancientflower at March 11, 2007 5:24 PM
Ancientflower I am really fascinated by your comments and agree, that dreadlocks were not natural for my hair. I do not have a comb or brush, and my hair does not root, or twist or tangle ever. I need no conditioner or any other styling tool beyond my fingers.
I do love dreadies though!
Posted by: Kat Caverly at March 11, 2007 6:01 PM
You stated that anyone & any type of hair can attain the beauty and glory of locs. Yet, it isnt necessary for ALL of us to have to utilize wax, hats or wool caps. Are you only speaking of those with european hair?
Posted by: Razzaq at April 14, 2007 4:39 PM
to have beautiful dreadlocks, all hair types must do the work. Some hair types will start to dread just by NOT combing it but then you run the risk of growing one big dreadie; you need a bit of wax and twisting to maintain a style. Even with my fine European hair type, after I got my dreadies wet they would start to combine within a day without twisting. This is what I mean.
Posted by: Kat Caverly at April 14, 2007 7:55 PM
they were pretty! why'd you cut them?
and how did you start them? i'm trying to start mine but they look really "part-y" in between, because you can see my scalp so well. tips?
you also have a beautiful photos on this blog!
Posted by: cherryl aldave at April 15, 2007 7:22 PM
I miss my dreadies Cherryl, but I couldn't take care of them properly. And yes after they are freshly twisted, you can see the scalp. This is normal.
Every time you get dreadlocks wet you MUST twist them or they will start to combine with each other, forming huge and undisciplined dreadies. You can wash them, swim, get caught in the rain, whatever and then you must do the work to separate them and twist them to help them look beautiful...and you can twist them too much.
So for me dreadlocks were a labor of love and I love to swim too and when I decided to be more natural I did get what is called a couple of "two headed dragons". As ancient flower said above, this was just unnatural for my hair and dreadies really are very natural things, beautifully natural hair. And my hair would never lock on its own.
Posted by: Kat Caverly at April 15, 2007 7:55 PM