Let’s make a bet. 

If you lose, you buy something from our shop 

We bet that you know exactly what these two things smell like. 

Or rather the smell your hair produces after these are used with great passion and force on your beautiful locks.

It’s a smell that’s been ingrained in our minds since childhood. 

That strong stink of the relaxer doing its work. The stench of your hair melting off as the straightener glides over it too slowly. 

Sorrows. Sorrows, prayers.

Along with that go those memories of ‘Getting Ready’, whether it be for church, to go to an event, or even just to step out of the house. Your hair had to be ‘done’, neat and straight, not a hint of a kink.

Now, we know that when you think of traditions, your mind probably goes straight to traditional ceremonies like Lobola, weddings, Doopmal (naming ceremonies) and the like. But what about all the things we learn in childhood that follow us into adulthood? What about all of the rituals and customs we practise like the ritual of “Getting Ready”.

These can also be considered traditions. 

Many of the traditions we follow in our various cultures and religions stay the same. They never change; and while they may feel outdated at times, it is through these traditions that our cultures and religions are able to live on. 

But some of these traditions do change. They evolve to mean something else. We practise them less frequently than before and in a different way than our parents and grandparents did. 

Do you celebrate your culture or do you loathe it? Do you revel in your religion or does it burden you? Or something in between?

What are some of your traditions and what do they mean to you? How has your religion and your culture affected your perception of yourself? 

We’re getting deep this winter.

We would offer a penny for your thoughts but everyone is about to be broke in this economy. Share your thoughts with us anyway, in a comment below or on any of our social medias.

And don’t forget to hold up your side of the bet.

• The H Word.

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

• Aakifah Parker
• Jodie Hermans
• Gabrielle Mourratts
• Zoëy Hendricks
• Sandy Hendricks
• Nwabisa Mzisi