One interpretation saw five students being barred from classes at the Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic (SJPP) last week for wearing locks. But, deputy principal Merton Forde said the students would be allowed back in school if they presented documents proving they were part of the Rastafari faith.
“Generally the laws speak to people carrying themselves in a manner which is not injurious to the health of others, or injurious to themselves. And what had me aghast, is that what seems to be appearing is a conflict of what one might argue is traditional culture and modern culture, even though the modern culture is part of the ancestral culture of Africa in this context,” Jones said.
MINISTER OF EDUCATION Ronald Jones is hinting that the new Education Act will take into consideration the now controversial issue of appropriate hairstyles for school, which is currently left to the interpretation of administrators. He said the new act and new regulations would be presented to Parliament as soon as the necessary review of the current act and accompanying regulations had been completed.
Source: Nation Newspaper
Above is the picture of the controversial Senator Damien Griffith who was appointed to the Upper House by the David Thompson government recently. His appointment has sparked debate not only because of his relative tender age but more so his corn row plaited hairstyle. The national debate appears to be divided on the issue. One group feels it is not a good portrayal of the kind of image we want to send to young people because it flouts standards which conservative Barbadians remain true. Then there is the other group which counters that the ‘hair style’ allows the Senator to remain connected to his African heritage.
The man who triggered the debate is the well known educator and disciplinarian Mathew Farley who wrote this article which was published in the Nation on the 14/02/08. The quote above signals that the government maybe tightening the dress code in our government institutions of learning very soon. Is it a case of bolting the door long after the horses have fled? The plurality of cultures which currently exist in Barbados seem to be blurring what is culture and ‘fad’. Perhaps if the Senator wants to wear his ‘hair style’ in a style made popular by females under the excuse that it is African, we would find it an acceptable argument if he looked like Elombe Mottley. There isn’t a Barbadian who stumbles on Elombe who would be in any doubt as to his ‘Africaness’. The Senator and his sympathizers argue that the style keeps him in touch with his roots yet he wears the garb which has a rich European identity, the suit and tie. No half measure Senator!
Although we have not been totally lucid in our condemnation of a Senator being allowed to enter our law making chambers, we have no doubt that the BU family understands where we side on the matter. Mathew Farley you have a lot of support in the wings!
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Bimbro // March 1, 2008 at 3:41 am
Sam de Gamgee, I may be a ****, according to you, but if u can get so exercised by a posting on the internet then I suggest that you’re mentally, ill and should keep that long postponed appointment, with the psychiatrist!!!!
Well u know what they say, Sam De Gamgee, “it takes one to know one!!!!” They could be right!!!!
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Bimbro, continue to post YOUR thoughts as all others are doing. Just be aware that they are some persons who are in the habit of going around to online bajan gatherings and consistently singling out one or two persons to attack and to encourage others to so do. They will even go as far as too solicit the cooperation of the site owner to carry out their vengeful deeds, of censor and banning. 😀
Hi Adrian, thanks for the reminder, bro. There’s no doubt that there’re a number of people who would always prefer that you did n’t express your point of view, if it conflicts with theirs!! Adrian, they’re a**holes!!!! I fully, appreciate that!!
Bim is a ‘democracy’, so far, and I certainly, intend to take the opportunity to express my opinion!! These cretins probably, think they’re doing Bim & Bajans a favour, they are not!!
The best cure for any problem is frank and open discussion of it!! Anything else, is a sham!!!
Three cheers for democracy!!!!
Thanks Adrian, and have a nice day down there in the Bajan sun!! Will join your ju-jitsu class when I come down but promise to be gentle with me!!!!
Laaaaaaaaaaadddddddddddddddd!!!! 🙂
lolllllllllllllllllllll oh my goodness i knew bimbro was a hypocrite but goodnes. does he really see a problem with a black man wearing conrows or dreadlocks???????? since when does a hair style defines a person or their intelligence. hair is pretty much the same as clothes an accessory if we can justify women walking around with their breast out why cant black males wear they hair how they want??? bimbro needs to get with it
hair is pretty much the same as clothes an accessory
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‘raven’, you’re very much mistaken in the above statement. However, I find it so amazingly, disappointing and wrong that I can’t even be bothered to correct you. I don’t think that you’re a child and should know better!!!!
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if we can justify women walking around with their breast out
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The only place that I’ve seen women with their breasts hanging-out, on the street, was in the red-light district of a certain foreign city!! So, I don’t know where u got the idea from that we generally, accept that!!!!
Also, they usually have more than one breast!!!!
Bimbro says…….
The only place that I’ve seen women with their breasts hanging-out, on the street, was in the red-light district of a certain foreign city!! So, I don’t know where u got the idea from that we generally, accept that!!!!
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For someone who claims to be Rihanna’s biggest (seems to me it should be oldest) fan, you are either blind or a liar. Have anyone seen the pics at her cousin’s wedding.
Come on now Bimbro……women with half their breasts exposed are everywhere (except the Middle East).
Just proves you either live in a cave or you just dont get out much, unless it is to the red light spots.
so now it’s only HALF their tits hanging out!!!
Sorry, bro. caan bodder to argue wid u. Gine back to sleep!!
bye!!!!
Is it possible that we can get you to do like the bears……..hibernate!!
People come on. The senator’s hair is cornrows – a style that has been more so equated with females. What impression is this braided hair youth giving to the nation of Barbados. It is quite obvious he has made an impression, but is it a good one? i am all for change but not ignorance.
Sorry, Tech, there’s too, much still to be done, in Bim!!!!
Jukecheckedeyskirt // March 2, 2008 at 9:26 am
People come on. The senator’s hair is cornrows – a style that has been more so equated with females. What impression is this braided hair youth giving to the nation of Barbados. It is quite obvious he has made an impression, but is it a good one? i am all for change but not ignorance.
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Then what would you say to baldheaded women or women with low haircuts then?
Hey Technician, where have you been hanging out for the last 2 decades whats the deal with cornrows whether men or women are wearing it. You need to leave the rock and gain some exposure on gender issues.
Hey Karia, in the last 2 decades illegal drug use has skyrocketed…seems like everybody is using -even want-to-be Presidents of the USA.
…do you see a big deal? or should we leave the rock for this exposure too?
In the last 2 decades we have accelerated our bad habits which endanger the very planet that we live on…..should we leave the rock?
…when do YOU start to be concerned? When the fat lady starts the first note?
Leave what rock what!?!
Karia, you seem to be virgin meat to this debate.
Check my posts and come again because I think you have read only one and therefore taken it out of context.
BTW Karia…I do leave this rock three times every year. I have family in Canada,Europe and the USA. Trust me…..I have been around.
The Caribbean is like going to ‘town to me also.
What is your resume?
Hi everybody
I am Asiba-The Buffalo soldier singer/songwriter/recording and performing artiste/executive producer/member of House of Soca Calypso Tent
writer and performer of songs such as “TOO MUCH FAT ON THE ROAD”; FATHER HARRY and NUFF SIR GRANTLEYS
I want to register my presence here on this blog. My comments will mostly deal with entertainment; cricket; social and historical matters and any other matter I deem in need of my comment.
I want to open by saying that I think that Senator Griffith was inappropriately dressed as a Barbadian. Why the friggin suit ??? why must I wear a jacket and tie/Tell me why must I live a lie/I dont want no jacket and tie/I cant stand no jacket and tie/It’s too colonial /Its too colonial/Its too colonial/Too damn colonial
why must I deny my culture/why why why /
I am from the caribbean/ I am not a European/
For sometime now I have been waging war against this crap of people in a hot tropical climate dressing up in a jackets and tie
Ask Boycevoice if you doubt me
I know that Europeans ‘laff’ at us and ask what we doing wearing ties, jackets. tall boots and trench coats in this beautiful weather of ours.
I therefore want to use this opportunity to once again call for a NATIONAL DRESS in Barbados.
This debate should not be about HAIR
IT SHOULD BE ABOUT INAPPROPRIATE DRESS–namely suits and ties.
Thank You
Technician // March 2, 2008 at 5:33 pm
Jukecheckedeyskirt // March 2, 2008 at 9:26 am
People come on. The senator’s hair is cornrows – a style that has been more so equated with females. What impression is this braided hair youth giving to the nation of Barbados. It is quite obvious he has made an impression, but is it a good one? i am all for change but not ignorance.
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Technician, as u can see, I am not alone in holding these views, so please stop trying to give that impression and display some honesty, for a change both here and at BFP!!!!
Recently, I’ve been reminded of just how extremely, proud most black people are of being black. Hair-straightening and gauche makeup is nothing. Whatever, next!!!!
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/article868004.ece
We’re so proud of being black!
The funny thing is having lived abroad and having travelled the world over I am MORE AWARE of how good we have it here…
The fact that we have always treid to maintain standards and rules has to factor in to why we have it so good!
what good folly i am seeing here.
u felows are rging about hairstyles, and on friday, a schoolgirl was stabbed in her heart….. by another schoolchild…
do we really think that the hairstyles people are wearing should be issue #1? and mind u, the man was dressed to the nines othrwise……. u will of course indicate that hairstyle is an aspect of discipline hair gone, discipline gone… I would counter, that in the age range where hair matters and can be mandated (bar the further folly at SJPP), if causa factors rather than indicators were being dealt with, indicators would soon set themselves right….
m$0.02
Bless.
David,
I agree with you 100%. Whilst I do not judge a book by its cover, there are rules to live by. Rules guide us and are there to prevent a breakdown in morals and indeed ethics in society. Just a brief example. My son’s school has rules one of which is no hand held video games allowed. Even though my son is a good, levelheaded boy what kind of example am I setting by allowing him to take it to school when the rules are in place to prohibit it? By the way cell phones are not allowed either, yet I see many children at the school texting and talking after school……………. I wonder what type of example their parents are setting? A time and a place for everything.
I’ve followed this most intersting discussion. Thought I’d just add my two cents. While a lot is left up to the beholder, if a person’s hair is clean, tidy, neat, then I dont’ see why there should be so much fuss over a hairstyle. I’ve been to a secondary school in Barbados that asked black boys to keep their hair low but allowed the white boys to wear their hair below their collar. Intersting. Also Bimbro, if you call your self a christan then , remember who you represent. It’s ok to express one’s opinion with out submitting to all the name calling. That’s my two cents.
Come on people get over it. I agree with market vendor ya all r a bunch of hypocrites. If the senator cant wear his hairstyles then no one who does not like the opposite sex should not be in parliament. principals my foot. just hypocrites that’s what u r. And callin urselves christians. ya all make me laff. haha haaa lol ha ha ha
Anonymous…
Who says that the Senator can’t wear his hairstyle? was he arrested? did the President of the senate ask him to leave?
…we are just saying that it reveals his class or lack thereof…
My personal problem is that I just love to see a nice woman in braids or corn rows…. I think it is just the most sexy hairdo possible….
….I don’t have to tell you the nightmares I have as a result of these men who feel obliged to adopt these hairstyles…
,,but I can get over it.
….I don’t have to tell you the nightmares I have as a result of these men who feel obliged to adopt these hairstyles…
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Bush Tea, I’m tempted to sympathise with u but, there’s nothing more sexy than an afro, therefore, I’m further tempted to say, “serve ya right”!!!!
Commisserations bro. At least, I understand where you’re coming from!!!!
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Anonymous, please stop chorusing, “get over it”!!!!
That’s for people who have n’t got a brain, or don’t know how to use it!!!!
You’re Barbadian and that should n’t apply to you!!!!
PLEASSSE! In life there are some things that will change but i am so sorry for you persons who think that because a man chooses to wear his hair in cornrow he has no class. and then u all have the audacity to question my thinking. If the senator wasn’t arrested when he went to senate y r u all makin such an issue. I think ya all have a problem with being black deep down inside but dont no how to deal with it.
And bush tea it is nice to no that you love your women with corn row and all. But let us agree to disagree on this one. You make me feel good to no that at least u r TRYING to get over ur problem with men wearing cornrow. ha ha ha
And bimbo i have opinions just like u.
Meaning that i still dont HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ANYONE WEARING CORN ROW, LOCKS or anything that is naturally theirs.
Well, Anonymous, saw a black woman this morning with blonde, short, screwed-up, locks pun she head!! Can’t tell u what she looked like although you can probably guess -like curled-up s**t!!!!
I guess you would describe those as ‘naturally hers’!!!! but, just what do u think that she looked like?!!!!
I understand ur plight Brimbo, I do not like to see it either, my hair is natural and black, I like the color GOD gave me, however its her head ha ha, Mr. Brimbo u really have me laffin i could imagine seeing ur face, but remember OUR senator’s hair was not blonde. ha ha u r something else fah trut. just deal with it every thing u see u wont accept. But it does nto mean it is wrong it might just be differnet. Cant we all just get along ha ah
however its her head ha ha,
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Anon, it might be her head but it’s OUR race which she’s making an ass of!!!!
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just deal with it every thing u see u wont accept. But it does nto mean it is wrong it might just be differnet. Cant we all just get along ha ah
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Anon, this is the morals of the gutter!!!! One must aim higher than that!!!!
Mr Farley, you diid well fight to maintain standard. This society is resposible for the “failing” of our young men. There are accepting anything from these young people and are frighten to correct them even “PARENT”. Family members must take some of the blame as well (there are like the public) when an individual see somthing that can and should be corrected he address it right away, then there are people who say it is not important leave it alone (so the horse is out the stable, who will bring it back) condole that behaviour give the person who is wrong a pat, on the back . The person who is bringing the awareness, pull them down and you are saying that we are knowledgeable people. Mr .Farley i tip my hat to you keep up the “GOOD WORK”
MARKETVENDOR
YUH RIGHT –i dont hear nobody saying nuttin bout white people hair. This hair thing is just a continous attack on everything black.
The Black Race has been cursed by the white race and as long as we live in this white man world (Barbados) we will have these unbelievable sitauations.
Recent post on a nother site:
Barbados has suffered recently for a spate of VIOLENT robberies, one in which a 70+ man was shot as he went to make a deposit. Many of us here felt terrorized ( some to the point of not using ATMS etc).
Recently there has been a huge discussion about corn rows, dreds, sense of occassion, personal choice etc etc.
I picked up tthe Nation this morning to learn that the police have 4 suspects charged with the rash of robberies. I am not sure if the online edition has their fotos… Three of them have locs and scruffy facial hair, the fourth has short hair. All look unkempt ( with the current popular bad boy angry screw face look that the bajan women find so attractive beacuse it means that they are ALLMAN and the bajan women can get enuff of it …am I telling a lie here)!
What do we make of this?
1. The Nation photographers should have waited until they had time to freshen up and neaten up
2. Poor black men are being discrimnated against
3. White collar criminals dont get their picture in the paper
4. Its all the europeans that brought us here from Africa fault!
5.Things expesnive so wuh we expect them to do
6. We can’t let the guyanese tek all the work ( including robbery)
7. In Africa the men does wear they hair like that
8. I dont see locs I see boys on the block being unfaired.
9. Its not their fault
10.Dont see the hairstyle , see the person inside!
i resent points 1. 2. 4. 5. 6. 8. 9. ME. that is pure non sense
1. de nation right to tek de pics of them as they are, so people would recognize them, only god knows who else dem rob dat only recognize dum now dum in de paper and on tv.
2. it int na black man nuttin, all over de world regardless ya color, ya do de crime ya do de time, same thing here, couple years back i charged a white visitor for possession with intent, his face too was in de paper, yep and he did time.
3. u forget mr marshall last year?
4. yes de europeans brought us, but who took us to dem, we own skippa, we own blacks sold us out, brush up on ya history.
5.things expensive for me and nuff people who blog here, and we dont go bout robbing people, so whats your point.
6. if i answer to number 6 i may get ban from this blog 🙂
8.i dont see locks either, but ya do de crime ya do de time, anybody who rob want dum fingers chopped off clean clean clean. every single one
9. if you dont believe its their fault, is it yours? that is soo pathetic
LOL points 1-10 were made facetiously. The point being that as human beings we go on what we know and we DO judge a book by its cover hence a young black man sporting unkempt locs with a screw face approaches any of us at an ATM in this day and age may not be assumed to be harmless. Hence I still maintain that although you can dress as you like and wear whatever hairstyle you wish you cant controll how you will be perceived simply because your buddies who are up to no-good have branded you. And I agree with you that they need to locked up .! LOL!
I’ve gotten as bored reading these posts as I have hearing snippets of Tell It Like It Is regarding this topic. Remember when cornrows for women were unacceptable in the work place but chemically treated or heat damaged hair was considered appropriate?
Bajanspice, welcome to the club. Some things one just has to live with.
There’s no ‘has to live with’, about it!!!! This is the excuse given by people who don’t want to do anything about it and hope we’ll just forget about it!!
Nothing is unchangeable!!!!
what crap ‘you’ introducing here now
why change the discusion ???
dude its just hair style. who gives a crap .what A-hole think that having diferent hair styles is wrong jst cz its gt sumfin to do wif race .let ppl do wt they want. .mosst probably those white old tight ass ppl r the ones who r complaining bout this . .losers-.-
http://www.nationnews.com/editorial/309863901819692.php
Cornrow fad will pass
Published on: 3/23/08.
THERE IS NO NEED to generate too much heat and noise over the young senator appearing in Parliament in the latest fad – the cornrow hairstyle. It will pass.
Just as I was about to ask which African leader wears cornrows, Adonijah, a teacher, informed me that it is “an ancient” African custom. And Adonijah should know!
I still can’t help noticing that I do not (and did not) see cornrows on the heads of African men like Nelson Mandela, Haile Selassie, Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa; Julius Nyerere, Jomo Kenyatta, Patrice Lumumba, Antoine Gizenga, Robert Mugabe, Holden Roberto, Joseph Kasavubu, Jonas Savimbi, Oginga Odinga, Tom Mboya, Moise Tshombe, Thabo Mbeki, Daniel Arap Moi, Mwai Kibaki, Raila Odinga. . . .
Not even on the head of the continent’s first female president Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia.
But then, perhaps, all the above notables are or were products of “modern” Africa.
Sadly for me so far I haven’t had the good fortune to visit the Fatherland, but I still see cornrow hairstyles in abundance:
every day on my TV, on the BET and Tempo channels;
on the heads of drug pushers and rappers;
in the ghettoes and projects of American inner cities.
The latest place: the 369-year-old Parliament of Barbados.
As I said, it will pass. It’s just another hairstyle.
The century is only seven years old but already, it’s clear to the discerning that this is going to be what American composer Andrew Waggoner calls “the century of clanging metal and unabated trivia”.
– CARL MOORE
Could not have said it better…
Let it go ME………it aint gonna change for you any time soon guy!
Go get a copy of the serenity prayer and read it!!
For ME…….
The Serenity Prayer
Path
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.
–Reinhold Niebuhr
Happy Easter.
ron t // March 9, 2008 at 8:36 am
dude its just hair style. who gives a crap .what A-hole think that having diferent hair styles is wrong jst cz its gt sumfin to do wif race .let ppl do wt they want. .mosst probably those white old tight ass ppl r the ones who r complaining bout this . .losers-.-
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That’s the kind of attitude which has seen us occupy the bottom of the pit since time immemorial. We need to raise our standards!
Wow…
Bimbro, let me just say that you are very superficial and it is people like you who made feel very bad about myself in high school.
What sort of standards do you live by? This is what is wrong with our society now. We always judge others before we know them. You really shouldn’t do that.
I am a young 20 year old African American girl attending college at K-State and majoring in animal sciences. I wear dreadlocks (which I just like to call locks). Guess that makes me unfit to work in an office, huh? Being at the top of my high school class, winning various scholarships, participating in services to better my community and going to college apparently wouldn’t matter to you. And no, I’m not a Rasta, I’m a Christian.
I’m sorry to say this but things are definitely changing. As I grow older I continue to see more and more African Americans wearing styles that complement their natural texture rather than styles that go against it. This includes afros, locks, braids, and the like.
I don’t think you can really understand and appreciate african hair unless you have it. It is very wooly, thick, and can be impossible to comb (at least mine is). I am amazed at those that can keep their large afros…they can be very hard and costly to mainain.
Don’t worry, these styles aren’t going anywhere. As long as they are kept neat, I see no problem with these styles in a professional setting. Luckily for me, there is a whole generation that feels the same as I do. We will make sure to preserve these styles in our families. I can only pray that you as well as others like you will see a person’s heart first and not their hair.
God bless