Naturalistas come together in celebration of their Hair-itage
The Johannesburg Natural Hair Expo took place on Heritage Day this year and it was a hit with naturalists.
There has been a definite trend towards embracing natural hair in its all forms in South Africa. Women are starting to leave harmful hair relaxers and hair line damaging weaves behind and embracing their natural hair and frankly, naturally kinky, curly, and Afro-textured hair has very distinct characteristics so much that it will leave others staring in awe and even asking to touch your delicate mane.
The Johannesburg Natural Hair Expo this year has put a “natural” twist in South Africa’s Heritage Day as they celebrated ‘naturalistas’.
With the main mission of empowering women through embracing their natural hair, the movement seems to grow even bigger.
The 2018 edition of the expo, themed Hair-ritage, took place on September 24 at Constitutional Hill.
The event hosted an array of local, African and international brands along with the expo elements, namely: natural hair care and empowering workshops, heritage-inspired music performances, poetry session, fashion show, live art and painting exhibition, entertaining kids’ corner, cultural circle (host various indigenous groups making, clay pots, traditional beadwork and painting, African mats).
The 2nd Johannesburg Natural Hair Expo saw hundreds of ‘naturalistas’ and entrepreneurs spending the day at Constitution Hill in Braamfontein sharing products, ideas and tips on how to make sure their crowns were well kept and beautiful.
It is high time we teach our kids that black dolls are beautiful too. Kaelo Black Beauty chief executive Meshack Mulaudzi brought his beautiful black dolls with natural black hair to the expo.
Mulaudzi said that the idea of black dolls is about embracing your upbringing, embracing your cultural outfits and embracing the dolls that that look like you. He said that the black dolls are meant to teach the kids to love who they are and embrace themselves and that they don’t need to relax their hair to feel beautiful.
Organised by five dynamic young African, women professionals, who are passionate about empowering women and girls, African Heritage and excellence they aim to build the expo and give an opportunity to the incredible South African (and African) women and men entrepreneurs who are producing amazing natural hair care products in the continent.
This movement event is set to grow to be the biggest natural hair events in the continent. The organisers believe in the power of the arts as a tool to facilitate new conversations that lead to social impact, they also believe that within every little girl and women, is a powerful force filled with good instincts and passionate creativity and the journey of empowerment begins, when women and girls understand and fall in love with who they are.
One powerful way that they can start the journey of empowerment, is by embracing their natural hair because hair plays an integral part to the identity of women and girls.
