Ducking and Weaving - Why Namibian Women Like Weaves

 What are your opinions on weaves? I personally think they're great for changing up your look and adding a bit of color every now and then. But there are two things I cant stand about weaves 1. they are hot! I'm not a fan of heat and sometimes it's like wearing a woolen hat, 2. sew-ons can be painful if your stylist likes to make it "tight" I'm definitely not a fan of pain.
I picked this article up from allAfrica.com. I was feeling a bit lazy to summarize, so here it is
in it's entirety.

Namibia: Leave Our Weaves Alone, Say Women


By Namene Helmich, 20 February 2012 Windhoek — Call it fake hair, human hair, weaves, Brazilian, Indian or whatever you choose, hair extensions have become the best friend of millions of women all over the world, including in our own 'Land of the Brave'.

Whether it is in the city or a remote village, you are sure to find women with hair that is not naturally theirs.

With all the fabulousness however comes a lot of mixed feelings about the phenomenon of extensions, weaves, wigs, braids - especially amongst black women - as some feel those who wear hairpieces are not proud of the natural 'African hair' they were born with.

Nampa talked to several people about what is fast becoming a norm for women of all colour - artificial hair - and the general consensus was a resounding "It's my hair and I'll do with it what I want!"

Weaves come in all shapes, lengths, colours and textures, and prices vary from a few dollars to thousands. The only limitation is how much the client is willing to pay.

Local salon owner Albertina Simeon, who has been in the hair business for almost 15 years and runs three successful hairdressing businesses in Windhoek and the North, says 'Brazilian hair' is the most expensive and could cost between N$1 500 and a staggering N$4 000, depending on where the hair is bought, its length and texture.

"Some of the more expensive Brazilian hair extensions are the curly types, because it can also be blown out to become straight. You just wash it again to make it curly, so it actually gives you two types of looks," said Simeon.

She said Brazilian hair, which is actual hair from Brazilian people, is very expensive because it is very beautiful and softer, in addition to being easy to maintain.

"Even those gorgeous black models such as Naomi Campbell who strut their stuff on international catwalks with long hair and music stars such as Beyoncé and many others wear weaves. The hair extensions these people wear is very expensive but they can afford it, because they are international stars who make millions of dollars and don't think twice about spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on weaves," said the seasoned hairdresser.

She explained that white and 'coloured' people also like to wear weaves, either to make their hair longer or more voluminous.

Simeon said that contrary to popular belief, there are many reasons why women prefer weaves.

This journalist found Ronelle Burger, a 30-year-old coloured advertising executive, getting what she calls "extra volume" for her hair at a pricey local salon in the city centre.

"I have always had thin hair and I realised that I can get fuller and more beautiful-looking hair by having a weave sewn onto my hair. No one can tell I have a weave in my hair! It is my own little secret and I don't mind spending N$1 500 to have the look I desire. I also think women should not be judged for wearing weaves instead of their own natural hair. It's my hair and I decide what to do with it," she said.

Anna Nambala, a 22-year-old final-year Business Administration student, said she loves her Brazilian hair. She echoed Burger's sentiment, saying it is her right to do what she wants to with her hair.

Asked how she can afford it as she is still a student, Nambala said her boyfriend is a businessman and he helps her pay for her weaves.

"People like to mind business that is not theirs and I have no time for that nonsense. I love my weave and I love the way it makes me look. It gives me the confidence I want, so to each their own. The fact that my boyfriend pays for it makes me even smarter than those who buy on credit. So, I am quite a happy lady and my man is happy to see me happy," she said with a mischievous smile.

Women who can't spend thousands on weaves go for the more reasonably priced synthetic hair that closely resembles human hair but is not real human hair. It costs between N$50 to 200 per packet, and is found in many stores and salons. The most popular look is one called the 'boy cut'.

It's a short hairstyle and many women opt for it especially during the hotter seasons, as it is a more low-maintenance option compared to longer weaves that need a lot of care.

Sofia Swartbooi is a 56-year-old senior nursing sister at one of the local clinics, and she prefers the 'boy cut.'

"I love the boy cut because the weave is sewn directly onto my own very short and thin hair and then it's cut into a very chic short hairstyle.

"The transformation is just wonderful. It is also in a fair price range as I pay about N$200 when I get it done every two months. All I have to do is comb it in the right direction and oil it a bit now and then. My husband was skeptical when I started doing my hair this way but now he is so used to it, and thinks it's so beautiful. He even offers to pay for it every now and then," smiled Swartbooi.

She thinks it is a good idea that women have a choice when it comes to how they want their hair to look and thinks others should not judge them for this.

"Men are lucky they just have to go to the barber and get a haircut, but we have to go to lots of trouble to have our hair look nice and the way we want it to be," laughed the nurse.

Meanwhile, talking about the exorbitant amounts of money dished out by thousands of women for Brazilian hair, Simeon said it depends on the individual how badly they want to have the said extensions, adding that some of them save up for months or buy the hair on credit and pay it off over a period of months.

"Some even have their men pay for it, and even though many men just pretend to want their women to wear their natural hair, they are just hypocrites, because come the weekend, you see many of them on the arms of their ladies with hair down to their bottoms and it's all fake,' she said with a giggle.
The hairdresser said the hair is pricey because people travel to Brazil to buy it there and when they come back, they sell it for "10 times" more than the actual price. In South Africa in fact, she said, women pay up to N$8 000 for Brazilian hair and they don't mind.

"They sell the hair to us in the salons, and we add some for our own profit on it, and in the end, the customer spends quite a lot of money, but the good thing is that the hair lasts for years and one can use it many times, over and over," said Simeon.
Weaves are so in demand that some women borrow hair from each other. After one has removed it, a friend or relative would have it woven into their own hair until the other one needs it back again.

There you have it then, expensive or cheap, weaves have become almost a necessity for women in all circles of life, young or old, rich or poor, black, white or 'in between'.

The fact is that it not only enhances our womenfolk's natural beauty, it also makes life much easier in terms of maintaining our crowning glories.