Kobe Subramaniam

Queen Rima, the Guinean 🇬🇳 dancehall queen.

Clinton Samuel.

“What’s in a hair?”

“What’s in a hair?” Lately, in Ghana and across black communities around the world, there are lots of buzz around keeping ones own natural hair, especially among young females. The trend, been televised on various social media platforms, have patrons, both male and female sharing images of their hair styles, washing routines and journey with hashtags and buzz words like ‘naturalista’, ‘kinky hair’, ‘black girl magic’ and many more. A friend once told me the trend will one day discourage the wearing of artificial hair. 

The artificial hair market is hugely growing, present and accessible  in Ghana and across the world. On the streets of Makola market, the biggest market in Accra, the capital city of Ghana, a bundle of artificial hair; weave  could be sold at GHC5.00 (about $1).

Despite the buzz of the natural hair movement, naturalistas; people who keep natural hair, employ the artificial hair as make-ups; wigs for ‘bad hair days’,  weaves, braids for protection from ‘bad weather’, for different looks, etc.  The artificial hair has become an everyday commodity for beauty, protection and enhancement for natural hair growth.

Hairdentity - an ongoing photo project on hair and beauty standards.

The Eucharist - an ongoing project on rites and rituals in the orthodox and charismatic christian church.

Members of Tijānī on a procession through the principal streets of Asante Mampong in celebration of Mawlid; the birthday of the prophet. 

The Karate Kids of Tamale 

(Originally published on Instagram on Feb 1, 2018)

In the first image is Baba Suleika, a.k.a ‘The Whole Master’ who organize and train kids in karate and acrobatics at Tamale Youth Home with the able support of his deputy in the last image.

These kids, some from the street, are taught self discipline and defense.