From a Sociology Perspective: Why We Might Have Gotten the Idea...

[vkb247]

I believe the shrinkage issue is true to some degree, but I can't see APL or BSL shrinking to the point that it looks like a mini fro.

Mwedzi also has beautiful 4b BSL hair that shrinks to a twa.

Well..I think it goes deeper than that. I think it goes all the way back to the Willie Lynch days. I don't think that just a few pictures of shrinkage subliminally made black people decide that they could only have short hair.I think it has to do with black women not understanding their hair in the first place & then after being told numerous of times that they're not as good as white women - black women try to conform themselves to european standards. Thus trying to achieve the bone straight, life-less look and hair breaking off constantly because of this and black women failing to contribute the bad practices to lack of hair growth because they see other women doing these practices and still achieving length..Therefore, after seeing their hair fail to retain length, they correlated it with 'maybe my hair just doesnt grow' and then teaching their children this.

Cosigning on this. Just take a look at this article about hair remedies through history. People of color were doing lots of the things (5000 years ago) the we have recently reclaimed on hair boards. Compare this to the practices of Europeans during the years that they were enslaving, colonizing, and dehumanizing people of color - harsh, caustic practices that emphasized looks instead of healthy and were often practices that led to death http://www.longhairlovers.com/remedies.html

 

[Almaz]

Yeah and people don't realise that sometimes is SNOWS too. but that is something else that people don't know about Africa

And so as not to perpetuate further stereotyping of Africa....just saying:

Ethiopia
Ethiopia enjoys an extremely varied climatic conditions from cool to very cold in the highlands where most of the population inhabits, to one of the hottest places on earth at the Dallol Depression. Most of Ethiopia was supposed to enjoy a tropical climate for its proximity to the equator, but due to the fact that most of the country’s land mass stands over 1,500 m (4,920 ft), that is not the case. The climate is broadly divided into three zones.

- Dega (Cool Zone)-Areas above 2,600 m (8,530 ft) where temperatures range from near freezing to 16 degrees Celsius. This is where most alpine and afro-alpine vegetation occurs.

- Woyina Dega (Temperate Zone)-Areas between 1,500 m (4,920 ft) and 2,600 m (8,530ft) where temperatures range from 16 degrees Celsius to 30 degrees Celsius. This is where most of the population lives.

- Qola (Hot Zone)-Areas below 1,500 m (4,920 ft) with both tropical and arid conditions where temperatures range from 27 degrees Celsius to 50 degrees Celsius. Bereha is a general term that refers to the extreme form of Qola.

Normally, the rainy season lasts from mid-June to mid-September (longer in the southern highlands) preceded by intermittent showers from February or March; remainder of year is generally dry.

Eritrea
Normally, the rainy season lasts from mid-June to mid-September (longer in the southern highlands) preceded by intermittent showers from February or March; remainder of year is generally dry.

Eritrea: Three Seasons in two hours.

In the highlands, further inland, with an elevation between 1,800 and 2,100 meters (5,900 and 6,900 feet) the hottest month is usually May (around 30°) and in winter (December to February) temperatures are near freezing point at night.

At sea level along the coast (Massawa, Assab), the period from June to September is very hot (40-50°). In the period December to February (rainy season) the temperature varies from 20 to 35°. Massawa at sea level has an average annual temperature of 30° Celsius (86° Fahrenheit) and an annual precipitation of 205 mm (80 inches).

In the western lowlands (Agordat, Barentu), the temperatures and the rainy seasons are comparable to those on the coast.

Egypt
Egypt , the North African country, has a weather that is characteristic of the arid regions. In Egypt the days are hot and the nights are cool and pleasant. This African country, famous world wide as the 'land of antiquities' has two prominent seasons: hot summer and mild winter.

The hot summer season lasts from the month of May to October while the winter continues from November to April. The difference between these two seasons can be marked only by changes in prevailing winds and cyclic temperature variations.

In the maritime regions, the Egypt weather is like, the minimum average temperature during winter is 14°C while the maximum average temperature during summer is 30° C. There are major fluctuations in the inland arid regions, particularly during summer when the temperature may vary from 43° C during the day to 7° C at night. During the winter time the temperature may range from 18° C during the day to even 0° C at night.

The average annual temperature is more in the southern parts of Egypt and so Northern regions like Alexandria and others are much cooler. Sometimes during winter the Nile Valley and the Delta even experiences frost and snow falls

 

[Almaz]

Where did they live because I am from the North and my grandmothers and Great Aunts all had long hair VERY long hair so I guess it depends on the family.

In Ethiopia long hair is somewhat a city thing/style. Majority of ethiopians live in the country side where short hair/afro is the style. They have healthy beautful hair but they don't grow it. It is too much work and again long hair is not even sought after. I'm ethiopian and looking at pictures of my grand mothers and many generations before them they all had short afros. Most do braids as well but short or long it does not matter. Even in the cities where you see a tons of long haired women you see as many women with short healthy hair.

 

[Almaz]

Yeah a lot of people back home kept their hair short. But I just know in my family they just braided their hair and kept it long



http://ethiopedia.blogspot.com/2008/07/ethiopian-hair-styles.html

 

[Faith]

I believe the shrinkage issue is true to some degree, but I can't see APL or BSL shrinking to the point that it looks like a mini fro.

I would be exhibit A then Both parents are from Ghana.

Mom had long BSL hair growing up and grandmother had long BSL/MBL hair. I have many more examples BUT I think the thing is many family members (all I can speak for) kept it short because they felt it was cooler in such a hot climate not because it couldn't get longer.