Hair Me Out: 4c and Me
Interview by Chiedza Muchauraya
Hair Me Out: Holly Kintuka audio documentary is a must listen if you haven’t already!
Holly Kintuka audio documentary, 4c & Me, serves as a reminder that just because it is no longer Black History Month doesn’t mean the education and celebration should stop. Holly Kintuka is definitely one to watch in the journalism space. After graduating with her master’s degree earlier this year, this North-East London baddie has already accumulated a rather impressive CV. From working at Reprezent Radio and Waltham Forest Echo to now being a reporter for the Daily Express. However, if that wasn’t enough, Holly created an audio documentary 4c & Me, which is a short yet powerful documentary exploring the hair journeys of several Black women across the world. This documentary was the recipient of the Research and Investigation Award at the Coventry University Showcase. For anyone who may be wondering the term "4c" refers means it is refers to a certain hair structure. 4c sits at the very end of the hair spectrum as the coarsest and most tightly coiled hair pattern. Holly’s work highlights how delicate hair is, metaphorically and physically.
It is astonishing how much of our perception of beauty is tied to the way our hair looks, but also how much hair and emotions are tangled and matted together. Throughout this audio documentary, Holly creates a compassionate space for Black women to share their relationships with their hair.
In Holly’s own words she shares an insight into the creation of 4c & Me
Chi: What inspired you to delve into the topics of hair and create to your audio documentary 4c & me.
Holly: So as a black woman, I don't see stories that resonate with me enough. So, when I was producing this documentary, I knew I wanted to raise awareness on a topic that I would be able to relate to. So, one day, I just happened to be scrolling on TikTok, and there's a debate about the UK black girl image hair, things like that. And I was just like, oh, it's enough. It’s really enough. I'm tired of hearing about this. I wish black women could just wear their hair how they want. Why does it have to be a debate kind of thing. It made me realize that because of certain beauty standards, I wasn't as confident wearing my natural hair out. Which is weird, because when I was younger, I loved my natural hair. I think it was just a thing of where I went to school in a predominantly white area. I didn't like people noticing my hair, because the way they would notice it, it made me feel like my hair was different, when really, it's just hair. So, when I was just thinking about my whole hair journey, I was like this really needs to be spoken about. I’m sure so many other women have experienced this up and down relationship with their hair. So yeah, let me just create this kind of open space. Let me do research, raise awareness about it.
Chi: How did it feel to hear all those stories from other black women and their hair stories?
Holly: It was bittersweet, it was nice to be open and have honest conversations with other black women who have experienced what I've experienced. But [also], this is so sad. Why do us black women have, trauma and anxiety when it comes to our hair. I just want our hair to be seen as hair. We shouldn't have to be so worried about it. It's just a hair, you know. It's one thing, to feel ‘Oh, I don't like my hair today’, because you might have tried a new style, and felt like it didn't suit you. But to go through, trauma and anxiety over hair. This isn't right. Something needs to be done. And then, obviously, with hair discrimination, it gets to a point where black woman's livelihoods are being affected.
Chi: I don’t think there is a women alive who has made into adulthood and has not had a hair horror story. Do you have one in mind that stands out to you.
Holly: This is a good one. You know, I feel like I've rocked so many different styles. I've tried completely new things, when I was 14, I had orange, like it was ginger, but it was orange, literally orange. I dyed my natural hair, and I loved it. I think it looked nice. But one time, I went to go and get my hair done at Salon. I got a sew in, but with like a closure. But like I said, I went to a predominantly like white school, so I'm sure, the other girlies, you know, they knew about plucking enclosures, plucking frontals and bleaching and all that. But I just went with the bundles and the closure. And oh, I hated it. I did not go to school the next day I still remember, like it was yesterday. Sometimes even when I look back at photos, I'm like, oh, look. Oh, gosh no, that hairstyle wasn’t cute. But yeah, I don't think I have really bad horror stories when it comes to hair, even though I have this up and down relationship with my hair. Nothing, too bad. Thankfully.
Some definitions:
Bundles – strands of hair that are all attached to a very fine piece of material to make a weft
Sew in – when natural or synthetic hair is sewn into cornrows on the client’s head via the weft of the hair bundles
Closure - a hair piece that is sewn onto the crown of the head in order to give a more natural finish.
Frontal – This is more common for wigs. A lace frontal wig has a lace material around the hairline which creates a more sheer look and gives the illusion of a natural hairline.
Chi: I loved your documentary because you really created a safe space for other black women to safely share their hair journeys. In the documentary we hear from Ebony who admitted to feeling that her hair ‘felt like a burden’. I’m sure many women can relate to this. Yet I feel on social media sometimes black women are shamed for not loving their hair and being super proud of it. Do you think that the black community as a whole need to create more safe spaces especially online to share these feelings?
Holly: I do feel like there definitely are more spaces than there was before, even [from] a few years ago. Because that's when my insecurity started, literally, a few years ago when I was at uni. And funny enough, I was surrounded by black people then, because, when I was younger, it was more just me being, super conscious of my hair, because, you know, I didn't want to come into school one day with, like, my natural hair, and then the next day I'm in braids, and then, like, people be like, Oh my gosh, your hair is different. But when I was at Uni and I didn't, fit the London or UK black girl aesthetic or whatever and stuff. And I'm not even just saying this, like I was made aware that I didn't fit that look. That's when I was just, in my head. Then at the same time I liked my look, I was happy with my look. But it really did make me feel insecure and I shouldn't have let it affect me, the fact that I did means that this was a serious problem, if that makes sense. And I'm not blaming black women for it at all. It is more the beauty standards and the box that we're almost like fit into, which I feel like has given black women this mindset that if our hair isn't a certain way. We're almost… I wouldn't say less than, but like, it doesn’t look good, essentially. And on top of that, hair discrimination plays a big part. Even when I was doing my research and seeing that, a huge number of black women feel like they need to have their hair straightened before they go for a job interview. Even students at school are being punished for wearing protective hairstyles, like, if we're being punished for our natural hair, then how are we going to love it?
Of course, we're not going to love it. We need to kind of come together and speak about these issues, dissect them and really like strengthen each other, support one another. But yeah, I definitely do feel like there is more spaces to talk about that, and people are more open than before. But there's always room for improvement with everything right?
Chi: Do you see an improvement in hairdressers training to be equipped for in hair types all the way to be 4c.
Holly: Yep, I definitely see a big improvement. I know, in the last few years, it was made mandatory in the UK for all hairdressers to learn how to cut Afro hair, and I have been seeing that on social media more non-black hairdressers working with Afro hair and doing protective styles, which I think is good because, how can you train to be a hairdresser and not know how to work on all hair? Is my hair not hair, specialize in certain areas or styles. But if you're training to be a hairdresser like, you should know how to [do all hair], whether it's straight, wavy, curly, kinky, coily afro, you should know how to do it, respectfully. Don't act like Afro hair isn't hair because it is, respectfully.
Chi: And following on from that question what advice you would give to black women who are on the journey to loving their hair but not quite there yet.
Holly: first and foremost, hair is just hair. Do not let anyone make you feel like your hair is this crazy discovery. It doesn't need to be dissected. No one needs to ask questions about it, because it's literally normal. Our hair is beautiful, wear it how you want. If you want to wear it natural, wear it natural. If you want to straighten it, straighten it. If you want to wear a wig, or wear braids. Don't let anyone tell you how to style it or whatnot, because you know what looks good on you, and you know what you like. So just be free. And that's what's so good about our hair, like, it's so versatile. It's so fun. Your hair is beautiful, and be free wear it how you want, because it is yours, and you look good. You look good regardless
4C & me is available to listen to on Soundcloud
