- 2 days ago
This week on The 77 Percent, we follow the lives of those who have experienced discrimination in their countries based on how they look.
Category
🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
00:05For more than 15 years, I had the same hairdresser in Nairobi.
00:10From high school through university, I wouldn't just let anyone touch my hair.
00:15I'm lucky to have grown up in an environment that encouraged me to experiment with different
00:21styles.
00:22But some of us aren't that lucky.
00:25And whether it's hair, to clothes, or our choice of appearance, shouldn't we have the
00:31free will to choose and express ourselves however we want?
00:35I'm Rachel Nduati.
00:37Welcome to the show.
00:43Coming up on the show, we look at why dreadlocks spark such strong opinions across Africa.
00:53Then, we meet a body painter from Benin who turns skin into canvas.
01:02And we explore the vibrant city of Yamasokro through the eyes of a local slum poet.
01:12Ever got your hair done and suddenly everyone in your circle became an expert on hair?
01:18One hairstyle that still triggers serious profiling across Africa is dreadlocks.
01:24Black Uhuru once sang, Rastaman is a peaceful man, but the reality is not always peaceful
01:31for Rastaman.
01:33Locks are often linked to third life.
01:36In Uganda, a survey of people who've worn dreadlocks found that more than half had faced discrimination
01:42or harassment.
01:44So why are dreadlocks still controversial?
01:47My colleague in Kenya, Edith Kimani, went to find out more.
01:58Nothing could convince Prof to lock his hair again, not after what happened last time.
02:05One afternoon while walking, the rapper and his brother were stopped by police.
02:09In this slum, run-ins with authorities are common, but this time was different.
02:15Even before the officers spoke to them, Prof knew he was being profiled for their hair.
02:21So they had talked about my brother, and my brother, and they said,
02:24What's your brother?
02:25Come here and get out of here and get out of here and get out of here.
02:28And I'm like, did you get out of here?
02:30And then suddenly, my brother had a kiss.
02:33It wasn't a curse, it wasn't a shame, it wasn't a shame, it wasn't a shame, it wasn't a shame.
02:40The brothers were arrested.
02:41A few days later, a sympathetic officer agreed to release Prof on condition that he would
02:47shave that evening.
02:48He agreed, but the ordeal left him traumatized.
02:52I'm a man, I said, you're going to kill me.
02:58You're stripping down my dignity.
03:02I'm a rug, a duster.
03:05I'm going to take care of anything.
03:07I'm going to take care of anything.
03:10Prof's experience reveals strongly held beliefs that Kenyans have about locks and people that
03:16wear them.
03:16That they are unkempt, unprofessional and delinquent.
03:20So ingrained is this ideology that locks are synonymous with lawlessness that it took us
03:25quite a few tries to get someone to interview for this story.
03:28The first one said they had to protect their admission to a university.
03:30The second one simply wanted to keep their job.
03:33But how did a hairstyle come to be associated and carry so much stigma and controversy?
03:39To understand that, we must look back in time.
03:42In Africa, Ethiopian Coptic priests reportedly wore their hair locked as early as in the 5th
03:47century.
03:48By 3000 BC, there was evidence of people in the Sahara with locks.
03:53Archaeologists have even found Egyptian mummies buried with lock twigs.
03:58And it wasn't just Africa.
04:01In India, locks were linked to Hindu holy men, including the god Shiva.
04:06In Mexico, Meso-American people wore locks from the 14th century.
04:11Celtic tribes, Viking warriors and Maori fighters in New Zealand are just a few other examples
04:16of people who wore locks.
04:19But it wasn't until the 1950s that locks took their place in Kenya's history.
04:27A group of guerrilla fighters pushing for the country's independence emerged from the
04:30forest with their hair matted into freely formed locks.
04:34The Mau Mau became synonymous with locks.
04:38Locks became defiance.
04:40Defiance became a dreaded crime.
04:43In post-colonial Kenya, locks would re-emerge, this time as a symbol against an oppressive
04:49regime.
04:49In the 1980s, activist Koigi Wawamwere grew out his hair while in detention after he was
04:55denied a comb.
04:57The government tried to shave him.
04:59He refused.
05:00He took them to court and won.
05:02In Kenya particularly, dreadlocks were a source of dread.
05:07Media mogul Eugene Bugwe explains.
05:09This was a mark of identity for them.
05:12And depending on which spectrum your parents were on, whether the collaborators or the
05:17fighters, it ended up being demonised and I imagine also because of Christianity and
05:22stuff.
05:23So I feel like a lot of our generation of our parents are not over that.
05:32Eugene locked his hair more than a decade ago.
05:35Since then, he's enjoyed an evolving relationship with his locks.
05:39As a successful founder and CEO, he is free to wear his hair as he chooses.
05:44However, while his choice of locks is praised as being original or edgy, the same hairstyle
05:49is regarded with suspicion on artists or less established people.
05:53In Kenya, locks have become a visual marker through which class and respectability are interpreted.
06:00Eugene knows this and admits it informs some of his hangups.
06:05I'm not comfortable with my hair open.
06:06I don't know, it always feels untidy, uncomfortable.
06:14I barely ever have it down, which I think has contributed also to me being able to get ahead
06:21corporate-wise despite them, which is a problem in itself because what is wrong with African
06:27hair flinging out and being let loose.
06:31Today, at the top of his game, hardly anyone comments about his hair except to compliment
06:36him.
06:37Money and success have earned him protection from stereotypes he heard often.
06:45Across the city, Durham Locks is buzzing.
06:49The salon specializes in artificial locks and most of the clients here are women.
06:54Despite the stigma around the style, business is booming.
06:59For women, the rules seem different.
07:02Yeah, in my university, the males aren't allowed to have locks.
07:08Do you think that's men?
07:10No.
07:11Why do you think that is, by the way?
07:13Because if women are allowed, then males should be allowed too.
07:20Joram, who owns a salon, tells me one reason some women might not be judged as harshly for
07:24their locks is because a hairstyle is seen as an expression of creativity on them.
07:30The perception of locks is heavily influenced by who is wearing them.
07:34In fact, prominent women in the country, like the Chief Justice, comfortably wear micro-locks
07:39locks without the suspicion that men often face.
07:42Still, not all women are exempt.
07:45Joram tells me clients sometimes return the day after installation because their bosses
07:49demand it.
07:51Yes.
07:52I always receive, like, many calls, bankers, people who work in hospitals and everything.
07:58Like, they have told me I can't have this kind of hairstyle.
08:02Yeah.
08:02It's still there.
08:03But what does the law say?
08:07Is it legal to force someone to cut their hair in Kenya?
08:10Madhenge Mukundi is the country's first Rastafari advocate.
08:14He says the constitution is clear.
08:17Discrimination is not allowed.
08:19Period.
08:20Article 27 and 31 that says that 27 is about discrimination.
08:26No one is supposed to be discriminated in any form.
08:28Article 27 protected and give us that constitutional freedom so that anyone should not be discriminated.
08:38Despite the legal clarity, Madhenge has faced discrimination and from his own peers.
08:44I had that unfortunate encounter during my admission.
08:51Then, okay, he is and he was an MP.
08:56And he said I should go and practice in Jamaica.
09:02There's no denying that the stigma around locks is deeply rooted.
09:06Perhaps that's why those who wear them often share an unspoken bond, like captured in this picture.
09:15During an interview with Mau Mau veteran Modhoni Madhenge, our cameraman, John Irungu, leans in to greet her.
09:22The field marshal, her sight fading, immediately recognizes his locked hair.
09:26She reaches for one of her locked strands to show off to John, making sure he knows hers are longer.
09:35This ease in connection between those with locked hair is something the younger generation of Kenyans seems to be embracing.
09:42Dread Rocks is my passion. It's my dream. I love the style.
09:50Dread Rocks is power. I just love them. And they make me look beautiful.
09:56It's like fashion for me. You know what I'm saying?
10:06So what would it take to end the stigma around locked hair?
10:11This hair, it's our freedom. This is our hair.
10:14My hang-ups come from the comments of our parents, who then hated that because of Mau Mau.
10:20And so they sort of like carried that shame forward.
10:23And now you have parents who don't view younger people with dreadlocks as an issue.
10:27So those ones will probably grow up without the hang-ups. But it might be too late for me.
10:32In Mukuru, Prof's experience of being forced to cut his hair has left him with a lifelong scar.
10:37But he holds on literally to one locked strand in quiet protest.
10:55Even though Prof has made peace with his hair, questions around our biases remain.
11:00Will our societies ever break free from these judgments?
11:04And how can we create space for everyone to be themselves without fear?
11:12Indeed, it's just hair.
11:14We set up a poll on the 77% Instagram channel asking the question,
11:20Should men be allowed to wear dreadlocks?
11:2376% of you said yes, while 5% said no.
11:28But the most interesting thing about this poll was that 19% of you said maybe, but not in professional
11:36settings.
11:36One man in Accra is trying to shift the narrative, showing that dreadlocks can be worn anywhere, anytime.
11:45And that's Michael Atufu.
11:47He spent 28 years challenging the negativity around wearing dreadlocks in Accra.
11:54What kind of person wears dreadlocks?
11:59Hi, I'm Sena. I'm a performance artist.
12:03Hi, I'm Latte. I'm a film producer.
12:05Hi, my name is Jennifer. I'm a nurse.
12:08Hair trends in Ghana have seen many changes over the years, from ancient styles of braiding with thread until now,
12:15where there are as many styles as people to wear them, including dreadlocks.
12:22I initiated these dreadlocks and natural hair and now the whole Ghana is dripping into it
12:31because we have many salons that people can go and have their hair down.
12:36In the past, dreadlocks were a big no-go for many.
12:39They were associated with marijuana, Rastafarianism and deemed unprofessional.
12:46It was common to hide your hair under wicks or to get it straightened.
12:50A million-dollar business which Michael wanted to change.
12:54Michael, a self-taught lotician, got tangled in the dreadlock business.
13:00Now, locks are all the rage in Ghana, turning heads and making waves.
13:06Today, Michael has clients like Adam Naite, a brand manager for one of Ghana's leading media houses.
13:14I made a decision to, you know, take off my permed hair and then wear the natural hair.
13:19So, when I cut it, I was wearing the natural hair like that.
13:23You'd wake up, you'd wash it, you'd comb it.
13:25And then, you know, I wore that for a while and then decided to lock it.
13:29So, this locks has been on for three years and I must say that it's been bliss.
13:34Michael has opened a school to train both local and international stylists who want to learn his trade.
13:41And today, Michael is proud about the role he's played changing minds about the dreaded locks.
13:47Because, after all, it's just hair.
13:55I'm sure you all know that feeling, right?
13:57When you just got out of the hairdressers after sitting for hours.
14:01I know it too, after my envisioned hairstyle has come to life.
14:05Across Africa, hairstyles are closely tied to identity and self-expression.
14:11My colleague Okerin Gushinatho explains why hairstyles across Africa are such a big deal.
14:18Let's talk hair.
14:20Whether it's long, short, styled or natural, it defines our faces from you and me.
14:27To celebrities on our screens, whether it's Diana Ross, Lupita, Bob Marley, Rihanna or Burner Boy,
14:34everyone is crazy about hair.
14:36And for good reason.
14:37It's a fashion statement.
14:38As black people, we like expressing ourselves in different ways.
14:42We like wearing our hair in different ways.
14:44A religious statement.
14:45I feel like hair plays a very significant role, especially within spirituality.
14:50And I don't want to just bracket it and say African spirituality.
14:54Just spirituality as a whole.
14:56Within our African narrative, when there's a funeral, hair plays a significant role
15:01where the family may shed off their hair in mourning.
15:05And gives a sense of identity.
15:07Our hair plays a very important role.
15:11It's a statement showing everyone knows who we are.
15:14Hair is a form of unspoken language, almost like music.
15:18Whatever the case, how we wear our hair matters.
15:21But have you ever wondered why hairstyles are such a big deal across Africa?
15:26Long before the colonial era, African hairstyles often had a language of their own,
15:31conveying messages about religion, wealth, age, social class, tribe, ethnic identity and marital status.
15:39The Fulani people of West Africa adorned their hair with intricate braids and beads,
15:44signifying social status and personal identity.
15:47And the Himba people of Namibia, whose red ochre plates are an expression of marital status.
15:53Black people's hair, however, has also been a reason for outrage and controversy.
15:58With the coming of colonization and slavery, black hair was often framed as unkept and unprofessional against European beauty standards.
16:06Thanks to black empowerment movements across the continent and in the diaspora,
16:11people now wear their hair with pride.
16:13And with a plethora of products, an army of hairdressers and barbers,
16:17there's always someone around to keep us looking good.
16:20So next time you style your hair or admire someone else's,
16:24remember, it's more than just a look.
16:27And speaking of looks, I wonder what you guys think about body painting.
16:31In my culture, body painting dates back to the 15th century.
16:35In many African communities such as the Karo of Ethiopia, the Wudabe of Niger and various other groups,
16:43body painting is practiced for rituals, social status and artistic expression.
16:48Artists often used natural pigments like ochre, charcoal and clay to convey messages or even attract partners.
16:57My colleague, Samson Adeleke, visited Benin,
17:00where he met an artist turning human bodies into living canvases for storytelling.
17:06In the art of Kotono, Benin Republic, colors are more than beauty.
17:11They are stories.
17:13Patterns are more than shapes.
17:15They are memories.
17:16And one young man has dedicated his life to bringing those stories to skin.
17:22My name is Lionel and this is my hustle.
17:26I've seen your work almost everywhere in town.
17:28And I must ask you, where do you get all these patterns from?
17:33I'm of Beninese, Togolese and Ghanaian descent.
17:37So, I try to incorporate symbols related to my origins to tell stories, to convey messages like some related to
17:45Daomi.
17:46So, Lionel, do you have anything that is related and connected to, you know, Daomi Kingdom?
17:52Come to see this piece.
17:53Okay.
17:54Wow.
17:55It's heritage because voodoo is our heritage here.
17:59So, I try to depict the portrait of an egungu.
18:04In the English word, we call this masquerade.
18:06Masquerade.
18:07And also, you can call it egungu in Yoruba.
18:09Yes.
18:10So, you also call it egungu here in Benin Republic.
18:12Yes.
18:12Wow.
18:13I've seen all the patterns.
18:15I've seen everything.
18:16Now, I want to see how you translate this pattern into painting.
18:21And most especially, I want to see how you paint, you know, people's body.
18:26Okay.
18:27I'll take you somewhere where you'll learn.
18:29You will learn how to paint on a body.
18:32So, let's go.
18:36First of all, I'm used to working in nature.
18:39Most of my sessions take place outdoors.
18:42That's why Hydrokeke is the perfect place for me.
18:47This is our studio.
18:49We have the brushes there.
18:51We have the colors.
18:52Then we have the pencils.
18:53Okay.
18:53These are also brushes.
18:56These are pointed brushes for details.
18:59The flat brushes are for large patterns.
19:01I can feel we have the brush.
19:03We have the paint.
19:04And everything is ready.
19:05But I'm wondering, where are we going to paint?
19:08Where's our canvas?
19:09Are we painting on leaves or what?
19:11No, no, no, no.
19:12We're not going to paint on the leaves.
19:14But we're going to rather paint on models.
19:17They will come now and you'll see.
19:19Right?
19:20Just one dot.
19:22It's the beginning of my inspiration.
19:25As a beginner, if you want to paint the face,
19:29you can start by here.
19:32And this.
19:33Oh, okay.
19:34Wow.
19:45For a beginner like you, if you want, you can start from here.
19:50You see, like this.
19:51You make small dots here or small patterns.
19:58How do you feel when your friends see you on social media?
20:02I feel really happy because it's a way for us to show our identity to the whole world.
20:08To express what Africa is through designs.
20:12Lionel conveys a message.
20:14A message that I'm proud to carry and show to people.
20:18Whenever you paint like this, how long does it stay on your body?
20:21Does it affect your skin?
20:22Well, it doesn't last.
20:24When you get in the shower and wash yourself, it comes off.
20:27It's not dangerous at all.
20:29You can remove it easily.
20:31So now, are we done?
20:33Yes, we're done.
20:34But I've got something special for you.
20:37You're going to take off your clothes and we'll start.
20:39So guys, I'm sure this is the moment you guys have been waiting for.
20:43You want to use my body as a canvas.
20:45Let's go for it now.
20:48In just five years, Lionel has done more than painting faces.
20:52He is telling powerful stories through art.
20:55From working with top music video artists,
20:58to featuring mothers that proudly show off beneath heritage.
21:02He is turning culture into something young people can see, feel and celebrate.
21:08And now, look at Lionel.
21:11Painting the map of Benar Republic.
21:13Carefully adding the image of a Gugu.
21:16A spirit that is honored every year during Fudu Festival.
21:21It isn't just art.
21:23It is history.
21:24It's pride.
21:25And honestly speaking, it is beautiful.
21:28Just look at me.
21:29Guys, how do I look?
21:31Today, I have learned that painting isn't just about color.
21:35It is a connection.
21:38Each brush stroke tells story older than we can imagine.
21:43My name is Samson Adeleke.
21:45And this is my author.
21:47Keep watching DW The 77%.
21:51I think I should head over to Benin.
21:53Looks like a cool place.
21:55Speaking of stunning places, every African city has its own vibe.
22:00By 2050, 60% of Africa's population will be urban.
22:06From Lusaka to Yaonde, cities bars with food, culture and unique economies.
22:11Now, we shift to Yamasukro in Ivory Coast.
22:16Where Islam poet Abuley Kwame guides us through the city he calls home.
22:21Hello.
22:22Welcome to my home.
22:23I'm Abuley Kwame, a slam poet known as Pagmanzrele.
22:27For those who don't understand Paule, that means the cobra.
22:31It spits words to beautify and also to destroy.
22:34So, welcome to my city, Yamasukro.
22:37In 1983, Yamasukro, nicknamed Yakro, became Ivory Coast's new capital.
22:43A full circle moment for first president Felix Hufuet Boinyi.
22:48Back in 1950, he was the village chief here.
22:51Over his 33 years in power, he transformed his tiny hometown of less than a thousand people
22:58into a grand city complete with a sprawling complex, memorials and the world's largest church.
23:06There's stunning nature and wild greenery here in front of the president's house.
23:11Fascinating.
23:12And dominated by what?
23:13Crocodiles.
23:14They are magnificent aquatic animals that attract people from everywhere for a spectacle.
23:24The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace is Yamasukro's main attraction.
23:29Construction began in 1985 and took only four years to complete.
23:33It is the world's largest church, followed by the St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.
23:39Pope John Paul II consecrated the structure in 1990, accepting it as Hufuet Boinyi's gift to the Catholic Church.
23:48Now it's time for lunch.
23:52Rabanzrele brings us to have a local delicacy, futu, made from pounded cassava, plantains and salt.
24:00He orders it with gazelle meat in a spicy soup at one of his favorite places in the market.
24:09Coming to Yamasukro without trying bushmeat and futu, that's sacrilege.
24:17Next, we meet young baule weavers who are keeping up the tradition of ancestral textile craftsmanship.
24:34Here's a baule cloth, a cultural treasure and a symbol of our identity.
24:42We use it for weddings, baptisms, dowries, everything meaningful and grand.
24:49Now let's end the day with a traditional, refreshing local drink.
24:54This is palm wine, part of our identity and known to have therapeutic qualities.
25:03Very, very delicious.
25:10Yamasukro is a beautiful, rich city. Life here is low stress, almost like the countryside. You're welcome anytime. We'll be
25:18waiting.
25:24Thanks for showing us your city Kwame. Now that you've seen snippets of stigmas around style and the people expressing
25:31themselves anyway, we want to hear from you.
25:35Has your style ever sparked judgment? How did you stay true to yourself?
25:40Share your stories with us on our social media handles. We'd love to hear them.
25:44I'll leave you with Africa by Yemi Aladeh featuring Saudi Seoul. Until next time, bye bye.
Comments