Me, Myself and Myanmar: My Hair

Kyaiktiyo Pagoda Golden Rock

There are many tips provided in Lonely Planet and some of the other popular guide books that may not be applicable to you at all if you’re a person of color on the road, especially if you happen to be traveling in a country that’s predominately populated with people of color.  As a matter of fact, some of these ethnically irrelevant "tips" could be easily outlined and ridiculed within a separate blog dedicated to this topic.  Just sayin.

As a woman of African descent with spiraled dredlocs traveling throughout Myanmar, my hair was often a feature that drew such a genuine curiosity that I feel the need to share.  What follows below are just a few comments and questions about my hair.

“Very very pretty…”

“My younger brother, he likes your hair. You are my color.  How….but how did you make your hair this way?”

“Is this your original hair? It is very special.”

“Were you born with your hair this way?”

“Sooo before you twisted the hair, your hair was like mine right?”

“Your hair, beautiful!”

A young woman adorning my face in traditional thanaka cream, providing a cooling sensation to the skin and protection from sunburn.