The decision, as outlined in the Ministry of Education’s new National Grooming Policy, to allow students to wear dreadlocks and cornrow hairstyles uncovered at school was extremely long in coming.Barbados is a country populated by people of African descent. The frowning on and opposing our God-given hair in the most natural state is something that should have been dealt with firmly long ago.We speak eloquently about a new national consciousness. The man who we will celebrate next week, the Right Excellent Errol Walton Barrow asked us to reflect on what mirror image we have of ourselves. Our current Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley wears her natural hair with pride. Next month, in schools, we will tell students about the importance of African Awareness Month and embracing our heritage.Yet, only in 2023 have we decided to “allow” and “accept” natural hair.The road that has led us here has been long, challenging and winding and it needed not to be.
Barbadian culture is everywhere. It is in the language, values, norms, technology and symbols of the island. But the culture we celebrate is an amalgamation of English and African customs with European culture dominating our psyche. From education to religious practices, the majority of our cultural behavior, whether implicit or explicit, has been influenced by colonialism and the presence of monarchy. Language: Speaking The Queen s English English is the first …