History And Role Of Hair Styling In Culture
Hair styling has always been around and seen in many cultures and societies throughout history, whether it was used to show status in the community or a way of distinguishing one’s profession, it is nonetheless a way to express oneself. As hair is a malleable part of us it was met with the difficulty of acquiring history details by cultural historians, because of its ephemeral nature or the way it can be changed so quickly.
Hair styling dates back to the Ancient Egypt where hair is properly taken care of by women as to enhance their beauty; women with high status often wear wigs made with real hair decorated with different hairpieces, while women in the lower class just have to manage with wigs made of wool. As time progresses, so does the techniques and styling of hair, some most popular or common in today’s society are the following: braids, bangs or fringe, long hair on men and short hair on women, and hair dyeing or hair coloring, these are which the artist researcher will focus on, as these are hair styles the artist researcher sees the most evident. Hairstyles have diverse history as different types of people of different cultures wore and invented them, although as time passes, hairstyles continue to change; but one certain style remain popular through the years: braids.
The history of hair braiding goes as back as far as 3500 BC in the African culture, specifically in Namibia, Southern Africa by the Himba people, and braids were used and incorporated to their lifestyle as a reflection of their status in the community, tribal origin, religion, or wealth. As it takes a considerable amount of time, hair braiding also became a time of socialization or a social art; elders would pass it down to their children, and soon would get passed down to the next generations and now it is still being done.
Standing out physically or having a physical feature different than others may earn some judgments and stares, based off personal experiences of the researcher, as it is not typical in the Filipino society to do these due to some traditional beliefs. It is similar for different people, in the case of having dyed hair, to experience a difference of treatment as opposed to having it the natural color; the moment one sees a person having an unnatural colored hair it somehow gives them ideas to have preconceived opinions about that person, and more often than not those opinions are negative and already stereotyped as what is seen in films or T. V. shows. Some of the problems that were discovered includes: being catcalled for unnaturalness of the hair color or, labeled as disrespectful as one is altering the natural way one was born or the person changing the natural color of the hair, family members’ or relatives’ perception of one’s decision to style their hair a certain way or dye a different color often earning some criticisms and disapproval, and the judging of one’s character or personality completely based off their different hairstyle. Especially in the Filipino society where, as the researcher observed, confident and unconventional people are often shamed or finding fault and focusing on that is more significant than empowerment.
The research can be an instrument of communication that may give insights of the unconventional people to somewhat show the reasons behind every style they give their hair, it may be connected to their confidence, inner feelings, or what they think they see in their true selves; because in the modern world, hair styling, like all ornamentation of beauty like make-up, fashion or clothing, accessorizing, can be considered or used as an expression of the self and creative individuality, also in a way an art.
