yes, dreadlocks

i'm dreading my hair, no I am not locking it, no I do not have a problem with calling them dreadlocks. I understand these days, people want to claim a new name for dreadlocks, because of the history. They want to call them african locks, they think it is more reverent, but see I want the history. And yes, in a way this goes against what I'm involved in, the institution, the establishment, but I've never been to into all of that. It's a way to an end though, and it has value. It has value in that it can give me the tools I need to navigate the world and all of its expectations, but my hair can be as dreadful as it wants to be, I think there is a lot of power in hair. Nobody but me knows what is twisted up in my locks, and thats powerful, the ability to choose a hairstyle that has a stigma attached is powerful to me, I am an artist navigating a world of materialists, I need a constant reminder of the empress I am inside of myself, and I need to hold on to me, despite what others may think and expect. I have no intentions of bowing to others expectations, I have no intention of not calling my hair dreadlocks, its an homage. Some say they can't be dreadlocks if they are formed, I respect that, it may be true, but judge what you will, mine are formed. As anti-establishment as I may want to be, obviously I've already admitted being tied up within it. I want to be free though, and I believe the ability to control my image is a stepping stone to being free.