Asian Travel, Natural Hair and Sarees: Diversity Bliss For a Naturalista!

I traveled extensively during the summer of 2015, namely to Vietnam, Japan, China, and India. The weather was hot in all of these lovely places and my hair took a beating but stayed strong. For some reason, within the context of so much heat, humidity, and variations in environment, some of my locks completely unraveled. So, the remedy was henna that I secured in India for healthy conditioning. Just wonderful! I also acquired pure coconut oil in Vietnam, at a spot along the Mekong Delta, to lavish my locks, so moisture was achieved. They make candy and other treats from the coconut there too, which was delicious!

So, with locks in tow, I traveled and traveled, along with my husband (and my adult children for portions of this 7-week journey) loving every moment of the experience. There was very little concern about my locks in any of these places. There were no odd stares or feelings of being "other" in the largely homogeneous nations that I visited. I find, when I travel internationally, especially in Africa and Asia, whatever that feeling is that I have at home--that feeling of being other, as a Black woman, doesn't exist. Sometimes, people stare but do not glare like I often experience at home. There is curiousness but not consternation. I walk comfortably in my difference, knowing that I am adding diversity, vibrantly, to the place where I am visiting.

The Saree

In India, the defining attire of Hindu women is the Saree. It can be made of all types of fabric including satin, chiffon, silk and beyond. It may be heavily embossed and intricately detailed but it's most important characteristic is that it is unique. You will not see two women wearing the same saree (unless it is intentional). The colors, the beauty and grace of sarees represent diversity in terms of attire, geographic location, socioeconomic status and Indian, Hindu culture. Yet, in the differences, sarees represent an undeniable commonality in that no matter the color, design or ornamentation, they are all sarees--representing, as is said in some Asian cultures, "Same Same--But Different." In this case, this indicates the fact that sarees are more the same than different in that they are all made of fabric and are about 6 meters long.

Through my travels, I have learned that Human beings are similar. At our core, like the saree, we are "same, same, but different." At the molecular level, we are the same. We are all comprised of cells, with variations in genetic makeup that leads to varying genotypes and phenotypes, but no one arrangement that leads to our physical appearance is better than another. Having white skin with straight hair vs. brown skin with curly hair, as examples, is not better, just different. We are not all the same without diversity, however. For example, for Black women, with natural, curly kinky hair, we are different from women of other races who may have straight hair. One is not better than the other, just different. Hence, my belief is that for Black women, and all people, Natural IS Cool Enough in any scenario, from social to professional.

To see the rest of the story visit the Huffington Post.  You don't want to miss the ending...