Hair politics is (also) a matter of volumetrics
Hair is (also) a battleground. A site for enacting a wide spectrum of day-to-day volumetric resistance to white supremacism. Meanwhile, on 3D modeling software forums, it is a "major topology re-work".
‘Excuse me big man, what’s happening? Why are you guys all pulling your hair like that and where are you going?’
‘To the barber shop, boy; we’re all dashing out for a haircut!’
‘Why?’
... ’Those bastards in there, those dogs are using matchsticks and pens to classify us!’
‘Matchsticks? Pens?’
‘Yes,’ came the quick response. ‘Matchsticks and fokken pens, which they run through our hair!
And when the pen or matchstick gets stuck, the Boers shout: “Go to Room 47 and get a pass!”
Like we were fokken natives. What the hell do they take us for?’
– Don Mattera: "Memory is the Weapon" (2010)
... I hit the barber shop real quick
Had ‘em give me little twist and it drove ‘em crazy
And then I couldn’t get no job
Cause corporate wouldn’t hiring no dreadlocks
Ten I thought about my dogs on the block Kinda understand when they chose to stealin’ rock
Was it the hair that got me this far? ...
‘Cause success didn’t come ‘till I cut it all off When the cops wanna harass cause I got braids
Ain’t seen nothin’ like that, not in all my days.
Man, you gotta change all these feelings
Steady judging one another by their appearance
Yes India, I feel ya girl!
– India Arie featuring Akon, "I am not my hair" (2006)
More on hair politics:
-
Zimitri Erasmus, ‘Hair Politics’ in Nuttall, S. and Michael, C. (eds.), Senses of Culture: South African Culture Studies (Cape Town, Oxford University Press, 2 000). https://www.academia.edu/26323589/Hair_Politics
- Mary Philips, Black Hair Politics in White Academia: With Reference to Black Studies https://www.academia.edu/4463226/Black_Hair_Politics_in_White_Academia_With_Reference_to_Black_Studies