It was once stated that “if you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it”…

No ordinary bobble, a whole ring (with peace oraments) fits around the seriously light and fluffy locs of J, newly arrived to NYC from South Atlantic Florida.

Aug 16

When Is Time for Change?

Phi Beta Sigma pin on one lapel, Masonic pin on the other, and a crown of (pauses, checks watch) 14 years, 11 months, 26 days, and 22 and 1 half hours old locs of dedication at center.

You would think he might have been his fraternity’s timekeeper, but Timothy’s extreme mindfulness of the length of his loc’s existence is just one the ways he demonstrates his belief that locs are part of a lifestyle, not just a style.

Timothy keeps the particular event that inspired him to loc private. The desire to perform a gesture of thanks to African ancestors who legendarily chose not to groom their hair while engaging in the physical fight against colonialism factors into his dedication.

In that spirit, Timothy usually does not twist his hair outside of special occasions. (On this day he was attending a highly influential board meeting.) When asked, if he had any feelings of conflict over taking a departure from his beliefs for the sake of others, Tim acknowledges it is not ideal, but necessary because sometimes we have to meet people at the (mental) place that they are.

That is to say, in his loc’ed life, Tim finds that sometimes the end result in the board room is greater than the aesthetic means by which you get it.

In Tim’s case, twisting his hair in compromise is not a detrimental to his locs. Do you ever face situations (in your workplace or in the job market) where you feel pressured to change your locs to be respected?

Aug 14

The hidden benefit of locs: At 8 months old, this teething baby girl demonstrates that you don’t have to have locs, to benefit from locs. Baby’s teething is the reason mom says she doesn’t add any product to her hair.

Aug 10

O M G !

You all had no idea,

but I had lost the book full of the interviews

for Locs & Branches that dated back to May 2011!

A l a s ,

It has been found &

I will be working on the writing up

stories to keep you informed of the lives

of people with locs into the Locs & Branches’ second year.

Thanks

for supporting even

when I don’t the time

(or interviews)

to post consistently!

-The Curator

http://locsandbranches.tumblr.com

Locs & Branches

Oct 08

Aug 29