DREAD-
1. To hold in
awe or
reverance.
2. To be in
terror of; fear greatly.
BLACK-
1. Having no light whatsoever.
2.Soiled, as from soot.
3.
Evil,
sinister.
4.
Cheerless, depressing, gloomy, angered and sullen.
NEGROID-
Of, pertaining to or designating a major
ethic division of the
human species whose members are characterized by
brown to black
pigmentation, and often by tightly curled hair,
broad nose and thick lips.
Definintions taken from the American Heritage Dictionary.
Since
Africans first stepped foot on this soil,
we have been characterized by such words. Made to feel less than human,less than dirt. Always made to feel inferior. Skin too dark, hair too nappy, lips too big. In in effort to "
blend in", we have straightened our hair,
bleached our skin, and tucked in our
lips, only to discover, it still wasn't good enough.
Dreadlocks represent the
freedom of accepting ones true self. The
rebellion against all that society has thrown upon us. They represent
the beauty of the natural order.
Jah's covenant worn upon our heads. Our
crown and
glory.
To be free from the chains, and shackles of a world that would not accept us no matter what. To
be naked literally, down to roots of your head.
Fast forward, now
Caucasians grow dreadlocks,
tan, and spend thousands of
dollars to plump up their lips. And it is considered "
hip,
cool, and
beautiful" Leading me to realize, that all the things I was made to
hate about myself, are actually all the things that they wished to be.
Jah, Ras Tafari