Monday, August 25, 2008
Term Twister: Oatmeal Dreads
Oatmeal dreads refers to white people with dreadlocks. One may ponder where this phase comes from - I am here to tell you the thought is quite simple. What is the whitest thing ever? Oatmeal. So therefore when white people attempt to pull off the dread locks, this metaphor allows you to move beyond the racial profiling that is so strongly associated with dreads, to the hauntingly colourless, loose mess on their heads. Please. I see them everywhere. Ya still white! Booyaka-sha!
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3 comments:
hahaha. that is so hopelessly culture-bound it's hard to know where to start. first, "dreadlocks" are a recent phenomenon compared to "jata" in India. many people of all colors, at least here in Northern Cali, who wear "dreads" are actually wearing "jata" and it has nothing to do with wanting to be black. it is an expression of love and devotion to Lord Shiva!
you don't "own" dreadlocks. it's not a "black thing." this matting of hair has had religious significance for thousands of years.
nice try, though - sort of. Bom Shiva!
Thanks for your input! It is cool to know what you have taught me about "jata", but I said this more for the reason of appropriation and humour! I did not refer to anything about people of colour that have dreads, I spoke about white people with dreads.
I know many dreads and I respect it, I am just saying that like any appropriation of style and culture, there can be some level of criticism found.
Appropriation? Did the Rasta patent this hair style? Hair is hair, and fair is fair. Who said that Rasta can only wear dreadlocks, and no other race? Is that not racism?
"Until the philosophy which hold one race superior and another inferior is finally, and permanently discredited and abandoned, everywhere is war"-Bob Marley
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