Meet our Tyte members and share their experience with natural hair. Follow them on their journey's through transitioning and making hair raising decisions. If you wish to submit a journey Click Here

Divine

My Mum was always my point of reference of how a black woman should be both physically and mentally. Mentally she had been damaged and this manifested in the way she wore and spoke about her hair. This damaged mentality was then passed down to me and manifested itself as a hot-combed hairdo at the age of 7-10. Curly permed hair at the age of 10-16 and relaxed hair at the age of 16-23.

I always wanted to return to my natural hair and felt as ready as I could ever imagine. It was time to put my ideas into action. I made a solemn vow not to perm it and started corn rowing it. Then I cut off the straight ends and mastered the two-stranded twist.

Since then I have worn a magnitude of natural styles. Finally the mirror was reflecting the truth as I released my fear of the western idea of beauty.

I have always visualised myself with locks and was always advised that it’s something you have to do when you are ready; I now know I did not take on board what that really meant.

I visited Jamaica in February 2003 and got my hair styled in my normal two stranded twist and decided not to take it out and allow it to be. This marked the beginning of my experience of locking. This journey has come with a lot of opinions from work colleagues, family, friends and strangers. To every negative comment I always remind them that it’s me wearing and experiencing it, so their opinion holds no weight. I view it has an opportunity to strengthen myself from within and finally manifesting this strength in the shape of my crown. It’s reaffirmed to me that everyone has an opinion and all it does is question your truth and your belief about self. Nobody has been able to make me feel that my decision to locks is wrong, so I take this as one of my many unshakeable truths. It is hard work but being passionate about something changes your perception of the concept.
The concept at hand is that of struggle. I view this as a personal challenge. I’m currently at a stage where the roots are straight, the middle is matted and the ends are still visibly twisted. I call it the three-in-one hairdo. There are a few locks that have matted of their own free will and they maintain my focus.

All that matters is this is where I want to be.

Blessed be