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Colonial and post-colonial systemic racial stereotypes surrounding the idea that black is ugly, black is bad, that being black meant you were uneducated, lazy, deceitful...etc.
During the period of slavery in the Americas, most female slaves were forced to cover their hair. Even free women of color were forced by law to cover their hair (i.e. Louisiana 1786 - Tignon Laws).
In many African societies hair could inform others of a person's status, origin, tribe, almost like a fingerprint.
Candelario touches on the legacy of Spanish Colonialism, Haitian unity and U.S. imperialism, and uses that history to reveal how it has manifested into contemporary Dominican identity discourses. She discusses directly, Dominican beauty culture, and describes it as crucial in efforts to identifying as “indios” because, "hair texture trumps skin color, facial features, and ancestry" in defining Dominicans as indios.
Primary Source:
Pelo Malo vs Pelo Bueno
(Bad hair vs Good hair)
Ethnography on Dominican racial identity in the D.R. and the US
Author: Ginetta E.B. Candelario
The hair that grows on our heads can have so much more significance than we might imagine. At times hair is how people identify one another, especially within the afro-community.
Among women of african descent, black hair is discussed in communal spaces, such as hair salons, natural hair conferences, blogs and forums, and even festivals celebrating the afro identity among the diaspora.
The natural hair movement is a movement which encourages women (and men) of African descent to keep their natural afro-textured hair.
The purpose of the movement is to undo deep rooted eurocentric ideas of beauty, and to empower people of afro descent to embrace themselves, their culture and heritage.
Why is there a lack of support for the natural hair movement amongst Dominicans in comparison to the support given by African- American women? What has fueled the mobilization of the few Dominican women and activists that do support it?
With the rise of the black consciousness, in the 1960s and 70s Women found movements of their own worth fighting for. Aside from civil rights, women of color were greatly involved in feminist movements. Within the feminist movements, especially amongst black feminists, the definition of what was considered beauty was a part of their agenda. The Afro was since then a sign of Black solidarity and rebellion against common beauty/hair practices of the time.
Advocate for women with Afro-textured hair in the DR. Her focus is to empower and teach women and young girls, even boys, how to embrace their natural hair.
Founder of one of Santo Domingo’s first natural hair salons 'Miss Rizos' which provides an alternative to the Eurocentric standard of beauty that continues to influence the idea of beauty in the Dominican Republic today.
Moto: Yo Amo Mi Pajón (I love my big hair/afro)