#BTEditorial – Finally, the hair victory many advocated for

The decision, as outlined in the Ministry of Education’s new National Grooming Policy, to allow students to wear dreadlocks and cornrow hairstyles uncovered at school was extremely long in coming.

Barbados is a country populated by people of African descent. The frowning on and opposing our God-given hair in the most natural state is something that should have been dealt with firmly long ago.

We speak eloquently about a new national consciousness. The man who we will celebrate next week, the Right Excellent Errol Walton Barrow asked us to reflect on what mirror image we have of ourselves. Our current Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley wears her natural hair with pride. Next month, in schools, we will tell students about the importance of African Awareness Month and embracing our heritage.

Yet, only in 2023 have we decided to “allow” and “accept” natural hair.

The road that has led us here has been long, challenging and winding and it needed not to be.

It was in 1986, some 36 years ago, when journalist John Sealy penned a story in the Daily Nation that shocked the country.

English-born Ingrid Quarless, who was a hostess at Grand Bay Beach Resort in Aquatic Gap, St Michael, wore braids to work. The 28-year-old received two verbal notices from the hotel’s activities director that she would have to leave the property if she did not comply with an order to remove the braids. His orders were enforced by her boss, general manager Alfred Taylor who also confronted Quarless.

The hostess was dismissed by Taylor for not complying, but she stood her ground.

“How can I be fired for having braids? Is there a rule in Barbados against having braids? I am a professional woman,” she asserted.

The conflict made its way into the law courts. The story ignited a public response and held the attention of many Barbadians who felt that asking a Black woman to get rid of her braids was an affront to all people of African descent.

When the dust settled, Quarless won the wrongful dismissal case and was awarded $2 000.

Since then, we have continued to have issues with hair. The debate has raged on from professional people in high office to students.

In 2008, when the David Thompson-led Democratic Labour Party appointed Damien Griffith as Senator, there was an uproar. The articulate and educated youngster was vilified at the time because he entered Parliament Buildings wearing cornrows.

Today, we are fortunate to witness Speaker of the House of Assembly Arthur Holder with his dreadlocks as he carries out his duty unhindered.

Within the entertainment fraternity, there was always a perception that practising Rastafarians such as Observer and Adonijah would get a raw deal at the Pic o De Crop Finals because of their crowns.

In 2015, some former students of Harrison College created an online petition taking issue with the stance of principal Juanita Wade who insisted that the twist-out hairstyle is untwisted, uncombed hair which is “not appropriate for school”.

Last year, Rastafarian students wearing dreadlocks faced challenges at the start of the Trinity school term.

At the time, the President of the African Heritage Foundation, Paul ‘Simba’ Rock, lamented that there had been an increase in the number of Rastafarian children being sent home from secondary schools with correspondence informing their parents/guardians that their hairstyles did not comply with school rules. He said that amounted to discrimination against those children.

Rock said he had written letters to nine principals on the matter and had also sent correspondence to Chief Education Officer Dr Ramona Archer-Bradshaw, asking her to meet with his organisation to address the issue.

This was not the first time the Rastafarian community was forced to stand up on behalf of their minors. In 2013, a family led by Ras Ijuijah refused to send their children to school, opting for homeschooling.

The matter reached the law courts and the family was vindicated when, three years later, the case brought against them was dismissed.

When sections of society assert that they are given a raw deal or treated unfairly we can hardly try to deny or justify it.

But as it relates to hair, how can we be so accepting of others to the point where we are fine with our Black females purchasing hair the look and texture of other races and wearing it as their own, yet those with natural hair face such disdain?

How is it that factions in our society want us to be more accepting of things such as same-sex unions, yet some continue to frown on natural hair?

The creation of the National Grooming Policy is just one of many steps needed to recalibrate the minds of those who are still to totally accept that black is beautiful from head to toe.

On the eve of Errol Barrow Day and just weeks away from African Awareness Month, our hope is that this policy, which was agitated for by many over the years, takes us closer to where we ought to have been 36 years ago when Quarless was fired unceremoniously.

We thank the Rastafarian community, parents and students who all lent their voices to this contentious hair issue. This small, but significant, victory is yours.

Our country must also get to the point where we continually reinforce to the present and next generations that hair, skin colour, address, etc. do not define a person’s character. They must be taught that aesthetics will never carry the same weight and value as those priceless virtues outlined in the Good Book.