DE KROON | Robin Ramos & Kymani Ceder

By Vanessa Kanaiza

The relationship between Africans and their afro-textured hair is evolving and is fascinating to experience as well as observe. Social media has given us a safe space to document our natural hair journey as well as connect with a global community on their journeys.

One year ago, racist statements were made about Afro-textured hair on the Bubbles & Gloss show on Dutch national television. It goes without saying that this caused a lot of commotion.

Triggered by the negativity perpetuated on national television, Afro-Dutch duo Robin Ramos (20 years old) and Kymani Ceder (19 years old) wrote a poem as a positive representation by and for Afro-Dutch people.

“We chose ‘black hairstyles’ as a starting point, because historically it implies a community of several tribes and is a way of being in touch with the ancestors until today. What does family mean to us?”, Ramos told Ocean Africa. “With this film, we liberate ourselves from these chains on the day after Liberation Day, because in The Netherlands we don’t have such a thing like ‘A Natural Hair movement’ yet.”

In Oshisinga, a Bantu language spoken in Namibia, ‘panda’ (braid) or ‘Olu panda (to braid) also means ‘happy’ or to ‘be happy’, respectively. And that is exactly what braiding hair signifies, happiness. Braids, to Africans the world over; are more than a fashion statement, they are a symbol of grooming and self care.

‘De Kroon’ (The Crown) works as a time machine with a decolonial paradoxical approach that takes you on a journey through the legacy of the tradition of hair, connecting the present and the past with Africans through weaving. The film is a re-enactment of history played by Afro-Dutch people of the present: how do Afro-Dutch people experience their identity after being physically alienated from the continent of Africa? How do they relate to their hair now?

‘De Kroon’ is a poetic narrative about the relationship between Afro-Dutch people and their hair. This short film builds upon the Natural Hair movement that is more visible in the African-American context. More than 80 people participated in this poetic short film including notable Afro-Dutch figures and personalities such as Dutch left-wing politician Sylvana Simons, Dutch actress and presenter Veronica van Hoogdalem, Dutch-American rapper Digitzz, Dutch-American journalist, program maker and presenter Clarice Gargard and actor and comedian Guillermo Babel.

Finding out why rice was plaited into hair, revealed a lot about the love and care we once had for each other and I hope that in pursuit of understanding our natural hair we can grow to understand each other and connect like we once did. Everything that gives us more insight to our roots is a great pursuit.

Follow Robin Ramos and Kymani Ceder on Instagram.