Not to mention, the history of dreadlocks is often misunderstood. Get to know the history of locs, where they may have originated, and what meaning this unique and natural process holds.
Others state the style started with the Egyptians. Historians have discovered mummified Egyptian pharaohs with their locs still intact. Tomb carvings and drawings also depicted these ancient leaders wearing their hair locked.
While many people will argue where locs truly originated, there are accounts of these locked crowns in pretty much every civilization in history. And most of the time, there was a spiritual meaning of dreadlocks connected to religious beliefs. Former Emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie, is known as the messiah and founder of the Rastafari movement which started in Jamaica in the s.
He was seen as the messiah who would lead the people of Africa to freedom. He advocated for black empowerment, the unity among people of African descent, and returning to the Motherland of Africa.
Rastafaris preached how the Bible says Jesus will return as the Lion of Judah. Photo by Lee Abel. Many men see Rastafari as a way out of poverty or a means to migrate to a country with better opportunities. Stereotyping has caused everyone with dreadlocks to be viewed as a Rastafarian.
History of Dreadlocks Dreadlocks are not unique to Jamaica and Rastafarians. The dreadlocks hairstyle originated in Africa and was worn by various tribes there. The earliest tribe this hairstyle can be attributed to is the Masai tribesmen of Kenya. Many of the warriors of this tribe wore this hairstyle. This caused the aristocrats around him to also start wearing something akin to a polish plait in order to please their king. However, the biggest focus can be put on the religious connection of dreadlocks:.
For the aztecs the locks were an important symbol for your high stand in society. Whoever joined the priests got all of his hair cut off and then was never allowed to cut his hair again. Traditionally the hair and the entire body of a priest were covered soot. Once the hair started to moulder, the mouldering signified the importance and power of a priest: The more mouldering, the better.
If a priest was deemed unworthy, his dreadlocks would be cut off in a public ritual of desecration. For the rastafari movement, dreadlocks to this day remain an important religious symbol and they tend to make references to the many mentions of the hairstyle in the Bible.
One of the oldest known examples of a dreadhead is probably the Egyptian pharao Tutanchamun who is rumored to have worn dreadlocks during his time. Both on his mummy and in illustrations his dreadlocks can be found. Even the Bible mentions dreadlocks — and by that we mean that they mention them a lot. Connections can be found with Moses, Samson and John the Baptist. Definition Dreadlocks are often seen as closely connected to reggae culture or even being a symbol of reggae itself.
So what exactly are dreadlocks?
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