Cutting of My Locks for My Right of Passage

[heff]

Hey guys,

So I'm flying over from Australia for my second burn this year, my first being 2008, and I have decided that for my gift/contribution to the burn this year I am going to allow you fellow Burners to help cut my dreadlocks off. they are about 6 or 7 years old and I am ready (I think) to let them go. So I thought what better place to help me through this extreme transformation than the Playa.

I'm just wondering if anyone has any ideas on how I can execute this without creating any MOOP from my hair. I think I have about 65-70 Dreads the longest being maybe 2.5 ft long and am going to walk around the Playa allowing a Different person cut one off as I go.

I might also leave one at the temple just as a symbolic gesture of letting go of what everyone in my life associate's me with.

Any thoughts are welcomed.

Heff

[JStep]

If you just make sure each one comes off clean with one 'snip' of the shears, there probably wont be much that could escape. What are you going to do with the dreads? (I saved mine and sewed them into a hat)

[heff]

Yeah thats a good point.

I'm gonna keep the rest of them in some sort of box, i'm going through vietnam and london before heading over to the states so might find some funky resting place to buy for my dreads. I have thought about making them into a beanie so I can put the beanie back on and have my dreads back. Seeing as I live in Alice Springs we have a Beanie Festival each year and It would be Hilarious to wear that out.

[jkisha]

If you just make sure each one comes off clean with one 'snip' of the shears, there probably wont be much that could escape. What are you going to do with the dreads? (I saved mine and sewed them into a hat)

I find that very interesting.

[Savannah]

Hey guys,

So I'm flying over from Australia for my second burn this year, my first being 2008, and I have decided that for my gift/contribution to the burn this year I am going to allow you fellow Burners to help cut my dreadlocks off. they are about 6 or 7 years old and I am ready (I think) to let them go. So I thought what better place to help me through this extreme transformation than the Playa.

I'm just wondering if anyone has any ideas on how I can execute this without creating any MOOP from my hair. I think I have about 65-70 Dreads the longest being maybe 2.5 ft long and am going to walk around the Playa allowing a Different person cut one off as I go.

I might also leave one at the temple just as a symbolic gesture of letting go of what everyone in my life associate's me with.

Any thoughts are welcomed.

Heff

It seems more a gift for you than a gift to the Burn--unless you look really awesome without your dreds, in which case then it arguably IS a gift to the city to see you without. Either way, it's certainly a Rite, so--decent timing.

I'd say: carry a festive(?) bag and shears. You can be in charge of holding the bag underneath and behind the area, facing into any breeze. The Stylist of the Moment wields the shears. Try to be sober enough that you don't scare anyone by advancing upon them with said shears, and try to pick someone similarly grounded so they don't do you a grievous injury. I suggest you don't do it mid-duststorm, & don't expect them to want to deal with your moop. If they don't want to participate, be gracious (but you knew that). If they do, you could let the person doing the slicing tell you whether they consider it being part of a Rite or whether it's a gift. (Maybe they have always wanted to saw through a dred.)

[Solito]

I remember cutting mine off after three successive bouts of scabies. Boggers! I had em for about 4 years, but the last 6 months was rough and the stubborn little buggers would not die out... I had the girl I was dating at the time shear em off. They had embroidery, peyote stitches, and etc all up in there. I bagged them and tossed them into a Rainbow Festival bonfire during a drum circle that I was participating in. It WAS another world without them. Definitely a rite of passage to move on without them. Carry on!

[ygmir]

parafin.

melt, saturate, cool, cut.

[heff]

Cheers guys,

Yeah I can see how it would be thought of as a gift for me, I have had so many people over the years want to cut a single dread off so I feel it may be a gift for certain people who have always wanted to cut off a long dreadlock.

And I will try to not scare people when i approach them with a big set of scissors

see you on the Playa

[some seeing eye]

A friend did a performance that involved cutting off a wedding dress in a large crowd at a packed art event. Unless you were right in front of her you would not have known it was happening. She had a large scissors, and perhaps you can find something ornate, that she silently offered on a plush red pillow. No words spoken, all eye communication. As the cutter it was a very interesting and intense exchange. It was similar to one done by Yoko Ono in the 1960's. Accompanying your scissors, you could have a ceremonial box for the cuttings. It won't be moopy if each dread is cut with scissors. There have been camps in the past that did head shaving for cleaning up the rest.

[heff]

That sounds like it would of been great, People would of been so confused all around. I will try to find a ceremonial box to place my dreads in. Just haven't found one yet. Maybe china town in san fran will provide.

[junglesmacks]

I say burn them ALL at the temple. No better release. You've carried them long enough..

[LIONESS]

Hi : )
I'm a hair stylist and I've cut off a few of my very dear friends dreads. I would be glad to help you out with it at the Burn.
I know what a special moment it is. I can help you preserve some of your hair so you don't have to shave it off and feel naked.

[heff]

Lioness that Is what I'm very afraid of. i do look quite stupid with no hair having done that once as a young teenager. i would love to meet up with you during the burn and maybe you can give me a few tips.

I'm gonna do it the day of the burn so i have a week to fine tune what will happen.

Junglesmacks I thought about doing that and burning them all but I really do want to hold onto most of them, I will be taking one to the temple but as for all of them that would be the ultimate release and i dont think i can do it

[jkisha]

Hard for me to comprehend.

[junglesmacks]

i dont think i can do it

Why? I mean, not to be blunt here.. but it's just hair. You will grow more. You will have more experiences in life. You will live down other journeys.

Let it go already!

[ygmir]

i dont think i can do it

Why? I mean, not to be blunt here.. but it's just hair. You will grow more. You will have more experiences in life. You will live down other journeys.

Let it go already!

vanity, can be a powerful thing.

[jkisha]

Ya, but dreads? You'd think he'd be glad to be rid of them.

[junglesmacks]

i dont think i can do it

Why? I mean, not to be blunt here.. but it's just hair. You will grow more. You will have more experiences in life. You will live down other journeys.

Let it go already!

vanity, can be a powerful thing.

I don't know if in this case it's so much vanity as it may be nostalgia. I mean.. we're all guilty of it to a point. I along with others I'm sure still have things like a box of old love letters from my high school girlfriend. Memories and reminders of them can be hard things to let go of.. but.. it's a Rite of Passage.


(ba dum dum CHING)