Once Upon A Time…Siphokazi met Hilda and their love story resulted in the KroesKop that is you. 

Yes, Maybelline’s mystery does not apply to you because you were definitely born with it. 

Has anyone ever described your hair in that way? Kroes hair or kaffer hare?

Family and friends, your hairdresser, your partner; They’ve probably said those words to you and meant it in a negative way. 

Worse than that, you’ve said those words to yourself.

We’re always using negative language when we talk about curly, kinky or coily hair. 

“I can’t deal with it.”

“It does its own thing.”

Thick becomes unmanageable.

An abundance of hair becomes difficult.

Curly becomes…kroes.

We feel these negative emotions about our locks most intensely when we feel we don’t belong. 

A new hairstyle comes into fashion and now everyone is following it and encouraging you to try it out as well. There you are at home, before work or school, trying to straighten your hair into submission so it can fall perfectly into that sleek bob. Later, in a plot twist everyone saw coming along slowly throughout the day, your bob has frizzed into a bushy mess. 

Perhaps your parents or your siblings don’t share your hair type. Perhaps you don’t see your hair type reflected in your peers around you. 

We get it. 

Hair can be an aesthetic and physical signifier that you belong somewhere, even if you have to completely change it in order to feel like a part of something. It’s difficult to forge your own path and accept your individuality. There is no precedent; No one is exactly like you and that can be scary.

We’re not trying to instigate an existential crisis.

We’re saying let’s take back those terms and embrace speaking more positively about ourselves. 

Own your kroes, KroesKop.

• The H Word

We would like to thank the following people for their contribution to this blog:

• Aakifah Parker
• Jodie Hermans
• Zoey Hendricks
• Gabrielle Mourratts