white people?

alright, so i'm sort of thinking about getting dreadlocks. not *very* seriously, but i'm thinking i might. i do have my reasons beyond wanting a different look, but a few things kind of bother me.

one being, i'm white. i know most people will say "it's doesn't matter", and i know it's probably true. however, i always think about when people say "white people shouldn't have dreads" and it sort of gets to me.

what do you think? white people with dreadlocks, have you experienced a lot of "racism" about your locks?

if you're not white, how do you feel about white people with dreadlocks?

my feeling is, dreadlocks are an individual way to remind yourself of something you find important. for me, it would be about "locking" myself in my body, as a sort of reminder to stay in tune with my life and my surroundings. ideally it wouldn't have anything to do with anyone else- it's a personal commitment and journey. in this sense, race has nothing to do with anything.

but obviously it's not easy to get past certain things, race being one of them.

thoughts?

 

why shoulld the colour of your skin dictate the style of your hair?

 

Do your own thing, my friend. No colors, no bonds, nothing to hold you back!

 

i was surprised w/ the response from black people at my school.
i though they would be offended.
but not even one was a acting like a dick.
some guys even asked me how i made dreadlocks.

mostly everyone is opened to the idea of someone having dreads if you let em know your clean.

 

well, obviously, it shouldn't.

but you've never heard that african americans sometimes feel that white people who have dreadlocks are "mocking" rasta culture? even some white people feel this way.

i'm really just wondering about experiences you've had as white people with dreadlocks, and also non white input on the whole situation.

thanks for the replies everyone.

 

if having dreads would really mean something to you, no outside force would ever override who you are or what you want.

 

As long as you don't act stereotypical then it's fine.

 

I'm white, and I have dreads. Who gives a shit what anyone thinks about your hair. No one says shit to me, because I do not permit them to speak ill of me in my presence.

...a lion, mighty among beasts,
who retreats before nothing

Maybe you are not bold enough to have dreadlocks.

 

If you research the history of locks you would come across a lot of information about their origin and the people who wore them. They have a long history and they are not linked solely to rastas. It's been my experience that primarily white people have a problem (but mostly it's just, "oh, isn't that a black person hairstyle?" and other types of questions along those lines.)with other white people having dreads, in this age of political correctness. Usually a small explanation of the history is enough to get them thinking.

 

My partner is bi-racial, and his mother is black. He doesn't have dreads (but he did in the past). Both are absolutely fine with my hair. His mother likes it, he's more indifferent one way or the other and prefers my hair short. I, obviously, don't!

Then again, I realize I can't say my partner and his mother are speaking for an entire group of people. I'm just saying, I've never experienced anything personally. From them or from anyone else.

Did anyone see that SNL (I think) episode with the dreadheaded guy who like changes how he is acting when he is around black folk? haha

What do Cherokee people think of your name!!? haha. jk..

 

when I got dreads my dad called me a wigger lol, but its cool. He got used to it. I felt a racial tension as well, I put it off for months but then one day I said to myself, "eh, fuck it" and the rest is history

 

Ras Trent!
Lol, that's what I mean by being stereotypical. Some people act like Ras Trent and give white boys rocking the locks a bad name.

 

LOL i just watched that clip. so funny.

oh well, i can see that. i definitely won't be wearing bob marley shirts and pretending to be rasta.

i still don't know if i'm getting dreads, but this issue is out of the way at least.

thanks for the input everyone, i appreciate it.

 

dreads are often misunderstood, by anyone whos not in the know
by this i mean most rastas will give ya nothng but respect
most whites will too
most people in genereal
however there will always be the ignorant who misundserstand
yes ive had blacks look at me and say are you trying to be blackk
ofcourse not 1 had dreads
yea ive had whites with simular responces
again, not 1 had dreads

is thyat the typical reaction? hell no
98% of reactions are possitive ones
but theres always thge ignorant
if you educate them though even the ignorant can be enlightened..at least most of em
you wont change every mind..but not every mind ..or opinion matters
only your own dioes

 

if anyone gives you trouble just tell them the truth. you are the truth, locks happen by themselves.

 

i hear shit all day long in school.
but im the only white person in my school with locks.
black girls always say stupid shit to me and tell me i dont have real locks.
but all of the guys with dreads think im cool for doing it.
i get asked if i smoke pot just about every day.
everyday i get asked when my dreads will be locked, and i should use wax.

i really dont care what they think, but it gets annoying.
there is no reason why any person, no matter the ethnicity should be discriminated over something so trivial.
my school population is probably 60% black and 40% everything else.
and almost all of them 'come from new york' and are 'gangsta ass thugs'.
so they all play the racist card if u say anything back to them about it or say they are ganna get their cousin from new york to jump you.
i cant stand the hypocrisy of being called a racist by embracing another peoples culture while being yelled at by the group of people i supposedly am oppressing.
but there is a real jamaican substitute who likes my dreads.
it all depends on the individual themselves.
in general i have had a lot of negative comments, but theres a few that like them.

 

I don't think colour or race should have anything to do with it. People from many races and nations have a long history of wearing dreadlocks. India, parts of Europe, Africa, and even China. I'm of Celtic & Viking heritage and they both have a history of wearing dreadlocks, some acheologists dug up some Celts a few years ago the bodies dating back about 2000 years and these skeletons had flaming red dreads wrapped around the top of their skulls. LOL!!

Us non-African nations have not had the pleasure of have our own dreadlocked idol/national symbol in the public eye (ie.Bob Marley) So it's no wonder most people don't know that Caucasians & Asians have a history of wearing The locks.

Saying white people shouldn't dread their hair is like saying a black girl/guy shouldn't straighten their hair! It's ridiculous. LOL!!!

 

P.S. I live in Hong Kong which is now a Special Admistrated Region of China - The laws are the same since the handover from the UK and will be for at least a 50 year period.

BUT I read a while back that DREADLOCKS are illegal in China (Mainland) !!

Anyone know if thats true?? I saw plenty of westerners there with dreads a few years ago.

Historically Dreadlocks were only worn in China by the Elite - I think Royalty only and I don't know what Dynasty period that was in history. I read an article about it last year and haven't been able to find it again since.

Sorryyyy I'm rambling off topic

 

I am always told I look like I'm Samoan or Tongan, and I get looks of disgust by some people of all races, but most are pretty interested in them. The other day I was asked where I got this nappy hair, and I informed them my white father had a curly fro and that was probably the culprit. My Filipino mother has straight, somewhat wavy hair. Others pat me on the back for not having "pharmacy dreads", and keeping them frizzy. HAHA. People are strange.

 

Samoan's & Tongan's are HOT! As are a lot of Filipino guys, there are quite alot here in HK he he....
I lived in New Zealand for a year, spent quite a bit of time with a Tongan family, lovely!

SO do we get to see your face now or only the back of your head Bolantej?