Audio

Lets Talk All About The Braids

Hawan Abdissa

T00668085

The following audio is a personal conversation about one’s history and journey when it comes to appreciating a hairstyle that is deeply rooted in culture. Topics discussed will include prior vs current opinions on braids, western beauty standards, and a message to a younger self about appreciating all forms of beauty

Audio Transcript

0:00

*music plays*

Host: In the same way the waves of an ocean can come and go, braids have been a re-occurring hairstyle in my life. From getting my hair braided as a child to then learning how to do them on myself and for others its been a journey. Although my younger sister and I have a large age gap, the gap between our experiences when it comes to braided hairstyles is not so large.

*music plays*

Host: How would you describe your experiences with growing up and getting your hairstyles and braids?

Interviewee: My experiences were good. I used to get my braids done around when I was five years old by my mom, and we would do them every week on hair wash days just because it made it more easy for us and more manageable. We did it once a week just because, it, you have to redo it so it can stay clean and that it doesn’t get all messy.

Host: Growing up, did you enjoy having your hairstyles and braids, especially with going to school and extracurricular sports and all of that?

Interviewee: Um, yeah, I would say so because I did enjoy having my braids when I was younger because I didn’t really have to worry about it and it was just easy for me.

Host: You say that as you were younger you really enjoyed having them. Did that change for you as you grow, grew up?

Interviewee: Yeah, because just living in a white society with people being different than me, I just started not being comfortable with them in a way, so yeah.

Host:  And when your hair wasn’t styled and braids, what would you say your go-to style was?

Interviewee: My go-to style was having my hair straightened. Just because I would see around me other girls have straight hair and I would also always want that so that just became my new thing.

Host: Did you enjoy having your hair straightened over having your hair styled and braids?

Interviewee: I think just having my hair straightened was just what made me more comfortable when I was like past the age of eight.

Host: With your opinions and preferences as you grew up, do you think that was more internally influenced or more externally and from what you saw around you?

Interviewee: I think it was more externally just because I would see people with straight hair so then I got influenced to be also having straight hair.

Host: Have your opinions on having your hair styled and braids changed at all?

Interviewee: Yeah, they did change because now I’m more comfortable with braids and I don’t feel influenced by others around me

Host: In other words, you can see the beauty in both styles.

Interviewee: Yeah, exactly.

Host:  When it comes to Western beauty standards and especially what’s portrayed in the media, do you think that as you’ve grown up you’ve seen more positive influences from the media in terms of natural curly hair and natural curly hair styles?

Interviewee:  Um I think over time people are seeing the beauty in both and more people are acknowledging it. And I think that, I see people on the media expressing their curly hair and just being comfortable with it now.

Host: Would you say you have a greater appreciation for your natural hair now in comparison to when you were younger?

Interviewee: Yeah, I think so.

5:00

Host: If you could tell your younger self something now that you’ve had all of these experiences, what do you think you would tell your younger self in terms of appreciating her natural hair?

Interviewee: Just to accept who I am and how my hair is and maybe just admire it more and not care about the people around me.