Dreadlocks

Dreadlocks, sometimes called simply dreads, are twisted ropes of hair which will form by themselves if the hair is allowed to grow naturally without the use of brushes, combs, razors or scissors for a long period of time and knots and mats into distinctive locks. Dreadlocks are a universal phenomenon and through the ages, people of various cultures have worn dreadlocks. It may be said to be one of the oldest hairstyles, as dreads develop naturally over time.

History

First records of Dreadlocks go back to at least 2500 BCE with the dreadlocked Vedic deity Shiva and his followers, reported in the Vedic scriptures of India as "jaTaa", meaning "wearing twisted locks of hair", probably derivated from the Dravidian word "caTai", which means to twist or to wrap.

Related Topics:
Vedic - Shiva - India - Dravidian

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In Jamaica, the term dreadlocks was first recorded in the 1950s. The style was worn first by members of the "Young Black Faith", an early sect of the Rastafari, which began among the marginalized poor of Jamaica in the 1930s. Different theories exist about the origin of Rastalocks. Some sources trace them back to Indians who arrived in Jamaica to work as indentured laborers in the late 19th century, some of whom were among the first followers of Leonard Howell. Others believe the first Rasta dreadlocks were derived from the "dreaded locks" of the Mau Mau, the violent, largely Kikuyu protonationalist insurgency against British colonialism in 1940s Kenya. Most Rastafarians, however, explain Rastalocks with the Nazarite vow, in the Book of Numbers, the fourth of the books of the Pentateuch.

Related Topics:
Jamaica - 1950s - Rastafari - 1930s - 19th century - Leonard Howell - Mau Mau - Kikuyu - British colonialism - 1940s - Kenya - Pentateuch

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All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow. (Numbers 6:5, KJV)

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It has even been suggested that the Celts wore dreadlocks, as Roman accounts of the time made references to the Celts having "hair like snakes". Some sources even claim Vikings had them. There is even evidence of Egyptian Pharaoh having dreadlocks, and some sources claim Tutankhamun's are still intact, at least to some degree. In East Asian countries, such as China, dreadlocks and the Polish plait have been regarded with superstition throughout the ages. With this information, it is probably safe to assume that what we collectively know today as "dreadlocks" are the only known universal hairstyle, as well as the oldest known.

Related Topics:
Celts - Roman - Vikings - Pharaoh - Tutankhamun - China - Polish plait

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Dreadlocks aren't even restricted to humans?cording of certain dog breeds, such as the Puli, involves teasing the dog's long coats into dreadlocks.

Related Topics:
Cording - Puli

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