When most of us think about the history of dreadlocks, Jamaica comes to mind. Bob Marley, Reggae music and the Rastafari Movement. On the importance of his dreadlocks, Marley said, “This is my identity…if you’re a Rasta, then I don’t see why you shouldn’t have it.” For Rastafarians, dreadlocks are religious. Not only do they connect the wearer to their god Jah but the heavyweight of the dreadlocks, they believe, keeps negative energy away. From Peter Tosh at the height of the 1970s reggae scene to young female artist Koffee in 2020; dreadlocks have become synonymous with Jamaican-Rasta culture.
Listen to the great Bob Marley talk about his dreadlocks in this YouTube snippet
But is Jamaica the birthplace of dreadlocks?
Marcus Garvey created Rastafari three decades before reggae existed. In the 1920s, Garvey inspired millions in the Africa diaspora with visions of hope and liberation for the future.
Garvey’s Pan-African movement created community and cultural solidarity for Africans all over the world. Dreadlocks served as both a vehicle of cultural expression and as a celebration of African roots. Although this is the story of dreadlocks that most people in the 21st century are familiar with, the real history of dreadlocks goes much further back. Thousands of years, in fact…
The history of dreadlocks – before Jamaica.
Whilst the history of dreadlocks is widely debated and often vague, one thing for is for certain… dreadlocks did appear in history before 20th century Jamaica.
In his book Twisted: My Dreadlock Chronicles, Dr Bert Ashe of the University of Richmond thinks the real question is this: “Who hasn’t worn dreadlocks at one time or another?” Ashe traced the earliest written account of dreadlocks to India’s Vedic scriptures from around 2,500 BC, way before the Rasta movement. The deity Shiva wore ‘JaTaa’, which literally translates as, ‘twisted lock of hair.’ The ancient connection to dreadlocks doesn’t end here, though. It goes back even further!
From ancient Egypt, (approx. 3100BC), plenty of statues, relics and hieroglyphic drawings have been found by archaeologists that depict dreadlocks. But even better, is the fact that actual mummies have been unearthed with their dreadlocks still intact!
One recurring theme throughout history is a link between dreadlocks and religious spirituality. For the Indians and Egyptians, as with the Rastafari Movement thousands of years later, dreadlocks were so more than just unkempt locks of twisted hair. They meant something important. They connected the wearer to a higher-power and stimulated spiritual energy.
What about dreadlocks today?
The words and ideas of those like Garvey and Marley continue to inspire a diverse crowd of dreadlock-wearing subcultures. Ska. Punk. Rap. Dance. The dreadlock has remained an obvious choice for the liberal-minded, whoever they may be.
Dreadlocks today are inspired mostly by Jamaican culture. But no claim can be made that this is their origin. The history of dreadlocks is vast. They’ve popped up in different places and races and continue to do so today.
Random fact
It is said that Bob Marley’s wife, Rita, took a bullet to her head that was aimed at Bob Marley, and survived by the grace of her thick dreadlocks. Is this true? Let us know if you know…
Sources:
http://ragingrootsstudio.com/the-history-of-
http://smithsonianeducation.org/migrations/rasta/rasessay.html
