I’m going to give Marc Jacobs the benefit of the doubt because I know that he’s not the one telling everyone and anyone that he invented the hairstyle of Bantu knots.
But I know who I will blame for the recent case of cultural appropriation, which is the White media. The “White media” (aka most publications and news sources, headed by White male CEOs or directors, often male) are again crediting White celebrities or Caucasians with a style or trend that originated with Black people or African cultures. This time, Bantu knots are the bait.
Two years ago, “twerking” apparently never occurred until Miley Cyrus was in desperate search of a groove she is still too young for. (Peeped how Beyonce however sang “Dip it, pop it, twork it, stop it, check on me tonight” for “Check On It” in 2006). In 2014, the usually socially aware Marie Claire claimed Kendall Jenner‘s corn rows were “epic” and the new thing. And last year was the disaster of the big butt phenomena. According to the media, we were all rushing to enlarge the glutes, courtesy of Iggy Azalea and not “Baby Got Back” from over 20 years ago.
But Bantu knots now? No, wait. They’ve been re-branded as “twisted mini buns” thanks to the hair tutorial site, Mane Addicts.
What!
Unless I’m in line for a mouth-watering Cinnabon, there is no such hairstyle. Aside from maybe, the pasty inspired name of Princess Leia buns from Star Wars.
Evidently, the page has been taken down by Mane Addicts, but Instagram users took screenshots of the article to support the hashtag of #WeTaughtMarcJacobs or #ITaughtMarcJacobs. Accompanied by tag are selfies of a naturally curly or coiled hair textures, awesomely wrapped up in lots of Bantus.
Everything that could be said about cultural appropriation has already been proclaimed since Cyrus couldn’t stop in 2013. But would it be farfetched to think it’s beginning to be done on purpose? Even the White media’s one of two favorite Black girls, Rihanna, wore them last year at the I Heart Radio Music Awards. Who did Mane Addicts they miss that one? (And for a laugh, let’s recall how serious People magazine was when they reached out to a South Bronx hairdresser on tips to rock a “doobie” like Rihanna did at the 2013 Billboard Music Awards).
LOS ANGELES, CA – MAY 01: Singer Rihanna accepts the Artist of the Year award onstage during the 2014 iHeartRadio Music Awards held at The Shrine Auditorium on May 1, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. iHeartRadio Music Awards are being broadcast live on NBC. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Clear Channel)
Why are some members of the White media so afraid to integrate their sources? Granted, maybe I answered my own question. Yet, when media types do this, they’re only making it appear as if they do not or can’t identify with “White Americana” culture and that it can’t come up with cool shit that will inspire others too.
https://instagram.com/p/3Ne-zUJh4Z/?tagged=wetaughtmarcjacobs
Aren’t you tired of being the punching bag for unoriginality or in behaving as culture vultures? I mean, twisted mini buns? Even the names whitewashes the original. “Bantu” clearly sounds exotic, foreign or different. Gosh.
Stop it! The very cultures and people that have inspired you this month or this season (here’s looking at you Aloha), are worthy of the recognition every time they are rediscovered or the basis. You can come to the party! But we know who baked the goods.
(Obtain a brief history of the Bantu knots here, through the Atlanta Black Star. The hairstyle has been around since the late 1800s).
https://instagram.com/p/3NdUqmBFnk/?tagged=wetaughtmarcjacobs
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3 responses to “Stop Columbusing 101: They Are Called “Bantu Knots”, Not “Twisted Mini Buns”!”
[…] I almost couldn’t get through Vogue.com’s latest offense of “How North West’s Curly Styles Are Inspiring a Generation of Natural Hair Girls” without getting fidgety in my seat and hyper in emotions. I wanted to hop on the MTA to Lower Manhattan and rush to the outside of Conde Nast’s offices to stand and scream “Stop It.” And don’t worry. I’m not about to attack the utter adorable-ness that is Kimye’s baby girl. Matter of fact, I find North West to be quite precious. That face! Yes, she is cute. But this is not about her necessarily. This is about how ONCE AGAIN a White-led, renowned and long-standing media publication has ignored the contributions or attributes of black people, people of color and African-Americans and willingly credit an influential style or tip to someone either not Black or “less comfortably so” in their eyes. Didn’t we just go through this like three weeks ago? […]
[…] saga has had some underrated makeup moments of its own. While we all at one point had Princess Leia buns in our hair, what about Darth Maul’s hardcore black and red face paint from 1999’s The Phantom […]
This is the first time I’ve heard about Bantu knots and I’ve had this hairstyle when I was a little girl. My mother always called them buns and therefore so have I. Now, if I had wanted to write a blog about this I probably would’ve done some research and this would’ve come up. I would’ve loved writing about that. (But I don’t have a hair blog so I never googled this). At least now I won’t forget.