In “Africans Consuming Hair, Africans Consumed by Hair” (2014), Francis Nyamnjoh and Divine Fuh argue that hair is a powerful symbol of identity for many – especially women of African descent whose complex relationships with hair challenge stereotypes and dichotomies inherited from the colonial past.
Draw from Nyamnjoh and Fuh’s article, lectures, and tutorials to explain this argument. Your explanation should address the following questions:
In what sense do people perform identity when they style their hair? Describe and analyse an example from the text, noting how both racial and gender identities are performed. (3)
People perform identity when they style their hair by choosing hairstyles that reflect their cultural background, personal preferences, and social identities. In the article, the authors discuss how hair is a powerful symbol of identity for many African women, who use their hairstyles to challenge stereotypes and reclaim their cultural heritage.
One example from the text is the practice of African women wearing weaves or extensions. Nyamnjoh and Fuh argue that the choice to wear weaves can be seen as a form of resistance against colonial beauty standards that devalue natural African hair. By wearing weaves, African women are able to embrace their heritage and express their beauty in a way that challenges Eurocentric ideals of beauty. This practice allows them to perform both their racial and gender identities simultaneously, as they assert their African heritage and femininity through their hairstyles.
Overall, the authors highlight how hair is a powerful tool for African women to assert their identities and challenge stereotypes that have been imposed on them by colonial legacies. Through their hair, African women are able to perform complex and multifaceted identities that transcend simplistic dichotomies and celebrate the diversity of African culture and beauty.