Cornrows

Hairdressers and salons are as ubiquitous in Ghana, as Starbucks’ are in the U.S.. I mentioned how I had gotten my hair half braided at a place by our house. I wasn’t very happy with the quality and came to find out from my sister, Gifty, that I paid too much for half my head. Apparently, to get your entire head braided it should cost 4 Ghana Cedis (about $2.8). I paid 3 Ghana Cedis (about $2.1). True, I technically got ripped off, but those of us who often get our hair done know that you will never pay either of those prices in our continent. Besides, with all the competition around, it is hard for them to get clients to begin with.

            Angelina and I have met many people along the Bacano junction area, which we walk to and from work everyday. I will tell you more about the many characters we have come to be friends with in another post. But today, I will tell you about the women in the El-Shaddai beauty salon. We stand in front of this establishment every day to catch our cab back home, so we greet the women everyday. Monday, they saw that my hair was braided.

“Who did it for you?” asked the owner.

“Oh, my sister did” I said, but I already had the intention of giving her some business. “I would like get cornrows though, how much would you do it for? My sister said that the whole head should be 4 GhC”.

“Yes, 4 is good. I will do it for you” she smiled.

            So yesterday I left work an hour early and walked over to El-Shaddai to get my cornrows. Angelina doesn’t like to see people in pain so she was going to meet up with me about one hour later. “I am ready to cry” I told them. They said it wouldn’t hurt, but I knew they were lying. So there I was, sitting on a plastic chair surrounded by four women. The younger ones are apprentices and still learning so they contributed by holding my hair, passing the rubber bands, and staring at me. The boss, Joanna, showed them how it was done; combing, twisting, pulling, and tightly braiding away. Most of the time I kept my eyes closed to hold back any sign of pain. My eyes water very easily when you pull or hit the right spot, and although I wasn’t “tearing up” as much as I do when having my eyebrows waxed, it sure was more painful. I used to think the right side of my scalp was more sensitive, until I found out that it’s actually the left. I still sucked it up and refused to show signs of pain… well, except towards the end. Boy, was I glad when it was over. I was either going to look ghetto fabulous or pull it off nicely like Alicia Keys. Regardless of which one, I don’t have to worry about my hair this weekend as we backpack to the northern region. And also, my scalp is enjoying a pleasant breeze.

            Angelina timed herself perfectly and made her way over to El-Shaddai on time to say hello and offer to take a picture. I wanted a picture with everyone so one of the girls told us to wait and walked off to comb her hair. Joanna told me to tell the other girls in my workplace to come see her to get their hair done. So if you ever find yourself in Cape Coast, Ghana you should hop on over to El-Shaddai in Bacano and visit our friends.