Episode 01: Exploring Hair Narratives in Ghana

During my 2009 visit to Ghana, I had to contend with the reality that not even in an African country could I see natural/unprocessed hair fully embraced. Since then, the Ghanaian hair narrative has shifted, and I have begun exploring this phenomenon. My research journey, as an African American woman, has provided many insights into Black hair in Black places, but nothing as impactful as the policing of Ghanaian school children’s hair and its long-standing impacts. In producing a short documentary, I peel back the layers of hair politics for adult Ghanaians by discussing their hair experiences during school. As part of my data collection, these interviews revealed that even in a Black place, Black hair remains political.