[…] If Michelle Obama […] decided to go natural […] poor Obama would certainly lose the independent vote, even the undecided vote. (P.297 L.19)
Such a statement...! There, are the words of the young heroine of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in Americanah, Ifemelu. When Ifemelu talks about going “natural”, she means keeping her natural hair and hair, is a recurring theme in the novel. How can hair be so significant/powerful?
Hair is not only a physical feature, a warming protection for our skin, it is much more. It is a political, sociological, psychological and religious feature, carrying lots of meanings and prejudices. Hair belongs to culture and may sometimes make integration and intercultural adaptation a bit more difficult. Coming from different places and having such a different hair culture results in hair easily becoming a political issue.
Firstly, we will analyse how hair belongs to culture and all the features hiding behind it. We will discover the importance of this symbol. Secondly, we will consider the impact of this symbol on integration and intercultural adaptation. Hair is not just a part of our body, it may be one of the most important parts. This might be the reason why Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie started her novel with a focus on hair that did not face as the novel progressed.
So here she
…show more content…
In the African culture, for instance, hair has a significant place in black women’s lives. To prove it, you just need to have a look at the time and the money a black woman can spend for her hairstyle. According to Good Hair, a very interesting American comedy documentary film produced by Chris Rock in 2009 - mainly about black women’s hair - black women can spend six to eight hours at the hair salon (38:09). Some of them are even prepared to travel to another town to get their hair done, like Ifemelu, for