Hair as an identity | Pebo Moeketsi
7 July 2020 · 4 min · as at 2020-07-07
Pebo Moeketsi (guest)
Listen to the episode on iono.fm · MP3
About the guest
Pebo Moeketsi
Gave an Edu Inc TED-Ed talk on hair as an identity. She previously lived in Portugal, where a boy at her school compared her hair to a pot cleaner.
Guest details come from the published episode notes or the guest's own words in the episode.
Episode analysis
Analysis by AI, drawn only from this episode; every point links to the moment it rests on.
A short Edu Inc TED-Ed talk in which Pebo Moeketsi argues that hair is an identity. She recounts wearing straight hair without realising she had conformed to a Western culture, and a boy at her school in Portugal comparing her hair to a pot cleaner. That prompted her to care for her natural hair. She points to hairstyles as status markers in ancient African societies and in Marie Antoinette's era, describes coming to love 4C shrinkage, and names Issa Rae and Zozibini Tunzi as inspirations.
Key ideas
- Pebo argues that wearing straight hair meant she had unknowingly conformed to a Western culture that was not hers and not African. [00:09]▸ [00:18]▸
- A hurtful comment about her hair's texture made Pebo see the issue as bigger than herself and as requiring a political stand. [00:32]▸ [00:47]▸ [00:47]▸
- Pebo presents hair as a historical marker of social place, from ancient African kings and queen mothers to Marie Antoinette. [01:26]▸ [01:26]▸ [01:47]▸
- Pebo calls hair a subculture people use to make a statement, prove something or be themselves. [01:59]▸ [01:59]▸
- Pebo says visible role models matter so that children see their own faces reflected in hers. [02:59]▸ [03:17]▸ [03:27]▸
- Pebo concludes that hair is her identity, heritage and blackness, and she is unapologetic about it. [03:31]▸ [03:31]▸
Lessons
- Pebo's account suggests that norms can be absorbed unknowingly; she only noticed she had conformed after a comment about her hair. [00:18]▸ [00:32]▸
- Pebo describes caring for natural hair by researching on YouTube, avoiding sulfur products, using oil and water based products and the right conditioner. [00:59]▸
- Pebo says she reframed shrinkage, something she once struggled with, into a source of pride that feels like a superpower. [02:08]▸ [02:18]▸ [02:27]▸
- Pebo treats representation as important, drawing strength from Issa Rae and Zozibini Tunzi and wanting children to see themselves in her. [02:44]▸ [02:59]▸ [03:17]▸
Who it's for
Students, parents and teachers interested in identity, race and self-acceptance, and anyone with natural or 4C hair looking for one young speaker's story of learning to embrace it.
Facts stated in the episode
- Pebo says 4C hair can shrink up to 80%. [02:18]▸
- Pebo names Zozibini Tunzi as Miss Universe 2019. [02:59]▸
- Pebo says Marie Antoinette is said to have added model ship figurines to her hair. [01:47]▸
- Pebo previously lived in Portugal, where she attended school. [00:32]▸
Questions this episode answers
- Why does Pebo Moeketsi say hair is an identity?She says hair is more than dead cells: it is her identity, heritage and blackness, and she is unapologetic about it. [03:31]▸ [03:31]▸
- What made her stop straightening her hair?A boy at her school in Portugal compared her hair to a pot cleaner. It hurt, and she decided the issue was bigger than her and took a political stand. [00:32]▸ [00:47]▸
- How does she care for natural hair?She watched YouTube videos, avoided products with sulfur, used oil and water based products and the right conditioner, and invested money in her kinky natural hair. [00:59]▸
- How much can 4C hair shrink?Pebo says 4C hair can shrink up to 80%, which she compares to going from a piece of broccoli to a pea. [02:18]▸ [02:22]▸
- What did hairstyles mean in ancient African societies?According to Pebo, the hairstyle indicated your place in society: kings had extravagant styles, noble men intricate ones, and queen mothers the most beautiful. [01:26]▸ [01:26]▸
- Who inspires Pebo to wear her natural hair?She names Issa Rae, who is proud of her kinks, and Miss Universe 2019 Zozibini Tunzi, who spoke about women like her never being considered beautiful. [02:44]▸ [02:59]▸
- Why does representation of natural hair matter to her?She says it is time that women like her stop being seen as not beautiful, and she wants children to see their faces reflected in hers. [03:17]▸ [03:27]▸
In their own words
Longer stretches of the conversation, word for word from the transcript, turn by turn.
From straight hair to embracing natural hair
Note (AI): Pebo's personal turning point: a racist comment at school in Portugal led her to question conforming to Western hair norms and change her hair care.
Pebo Moeketsi, guest · [00:03]I am Pebo Moeketsi, and I am talking about hair as an identity. For years, I had medium-length straight hair. I loved it. It would move in the wind, and I could tuck it behind my ear. That time, I didn't realize that I had conformed to a Western culture, a culture that wasn't mine, and a culture that wasn't African. It was only when someone commented on the texture …
Read the full passage (216 words, 00:03-01:25)
Pebo Moeketsi, guest · [00:03]I am Pebo Moeketsi, and I am talking about hair as an identity. For years, I had medium-length straight hair. I loved it. It would move in the wind, and I could tuck it behind my ear. That time, I didn't realize that I had conformed to a Western culture, a culture that wasn't mine, and a culture that wasn't African. It was only when someone commented on the texture of my hair. A boy approached me at my school when I lived in Portugal. I was already dealing with not feeling welcome because of my race. He compared my hair to a pot cleaner. You know, one of those rough-and-tough things? Yep, that. It hurt, but I knew that this was bigger than me. I had to take a political stand. Before this comment was said, I didn't realize my hair affected so many people. It was at this moment I started watching YouTube videos, thought of being actively aware of the products I was using, making sure I was not using products that had sulfur, using many oil and water based products, using the right conditioner and investing money into updating my kinky natural hair. Before that, I didn't really care what products I was using, just as long as my hair was washed.
Hair's history and learning to love shrinkage
Note (AI): Links hair as a status marker in ancient African societies and Marie Antoinette's era to Pebo's own growing pride in 4C hair.
Pebo Moeketsi, guest · [01:26]In ancient African societies, the hairstyle you had was indicative of your place in society. If you were a king, you had a very extravagant hairstyle. Noble men also had very intricate hairstyles. Queen mothers had the most beautiful hairstyles. Once again, away hair represented people. In the times of Marie Antoinette, Marie Antoinette was known for having the most flamboyant hairstyles. She is even said to have added model …
Read the full passage (206 words, 01:26-02:43)
Pebo Moeketsi, guest · [01:26]In ancient African societies, the hairstyle you had was indicative of your place in society. If you were a king, you had a very extravagant hairstyle. Noble men also had very intricate hairstyles. Queen mothers had the most beautiful hairstyles. Once again, away hair represented people. In the times of Marie Antoinette, Marie Antoinette was known for having the most flamboyant hairstyles. She is even said to have added model ship figurines in her hair. Hair is a subculture all on its own. People use their hair to make a statement, to prove something, or to just be themselves. For years, it took me forever to actually feel empowered and fall in love with my keys and curls and the shrinkage. Don't get me started on the shrinkage. Did you know that 4C hair can shrink up to 80%? That means I could go from looking like a piece of broccoli to looking like a pea. That is actually something I have grown to love because when I am rocking my TWA, also known as teeny weeny afro, I feel as though I have a superpower. Because when I blow dry or stretch my hair, it becomes huge. And I can go, yep, I did that.
Role models and hair as heritage
Note (AI): Names the women who inspire her, states why representation matters for children, and closes with her central claim that hair is identity.
Pebo Moeketsi, guest · [02:44]Women that have inspired me to rock my own coarse and coily hair include Issa Rae. She is unapologetically proud of her kinks. She talks about this mildly in her show, The Awkward Black Girl. Another strong black woman that keeps me loving and appreciating my hair is Miss Universe 2019, Miss Zozibini Tunzi, when she said, I grew up in a world where women who look like me, with …
Read the full passage (159 words, 02:44-03:46)
Pebo Moeketsi, guest · [02:44]Women that have inspired me to rock my own coarse and coily hair include Issa Rae. She is unapologetically proud of her kinks. She talks about this mildly in her show, The Awkward Black Girl. Another strong black woman that keeps me loving and appreciating my hair is Miss Universe 2019, Miss Zozibini Tunzi, when she said, I grew up in a world where women who look like me, with my kind of skin and my kind of hair, was never considered beautiful. The model said this prior to her crowning, and I think that it is time that this stops. I want children to look at me and see my face. I want them to see their faces reflected in mine. To me, hair is more than just dead cells, but it's my identity, it's my heritage, it's my blackness, it's me, and I am unapologetic about it. I want to ask you, does your hair empower you?
Quotes
“He compared my hair to a pot cleaner.”
“It hurt, but I knew that this was bigger than me.”
“Hair is a subculture all on its own.”
“That means I could go from looking like a piece of broccoli to looking like a pea.”
“I want them to see their faces reflected in mine.”
“To me, hair is more than just dead cells, but it's my identity, it's my heritage, it's my blackness, it's me, and I am unapologetic about it.”
“I want to ask you, does your hair empower you?”
What was said, by topic
Hair and identity
“For years, I had medium-length straight hair. I loved it. It would move in the wind, and I could tuck it behind my ear.”
“That time, I didn't realize that I had conformed to a Western culture, a culture that wasn't mine, and a culture that wasn't African.”
“Hair is a subculture all on its own. People use their hair to make a statement, to prove something, or to just be themselves.”
“To me, hair is more than just dead cells, but it's my identity, it's my heritage, it's my blackness, it's me, and I am unapologetic about it.”
Race and belonging
“A boy approached me at my school when I lived in Portugal. I was already dealing with not feeling welcome because of my race. He compared my hair to a pot cleaner.”
“It hurt, but I knew that this was bigger than me. I had to take a political stand.”
Natural hair care
“It was at this moment I started watching YouTube videos, thought of being actively aware of the products I was using, making sure I was not using products that had sulfur, using many oil and water based products, using the right conditioner and investing money into updating my kinky natural hair.”
“For years, it took me forever to actually feel empowered and fall in love with my keys and curls and the shrinkage.”
“Did you know that 4C hair can shrink up to 80%? That means I could go from looking like a piece of broccoli to looking like a pea.”
“That is actually something I have grown to love because when I am rocking my TWA, also known as teeny weeny afro, I feel as though I have a superpower.”
Hair in history
“In ancient African societies, the hairstyle you had was indicative of your place in society. If you were a king, you had a very extravagant hairstyle.”
“In the times of Marie Antoinette, Marie Antoinette was known for having the most flamboyant hairstyles. She is even said to have added model ship figurines in her hair.”
Black beauty role models
“Women that have inspired me to rock my own coarse and coily hair include Issa Rae. She is unapologetically proud of her kinks.”
“Another strong black woman that keeps me loving and appreciating my hair is Miss Universe 2019, Miss Zozibini Tunzi, when she said, I grew up in a world where women who look like me, with my kind of skin and my kind of hair, was never considered beautiful.”
“The model said this prior to her crowning, and I think that it is time that this stops. I want children to look at me and see my face.”
Episode notes (as published)
From the episode notes published with the podcast.
An Edu Inc TED-Ed talk - Pebo Moeketsi Watch on YouTube · Edu Inc website · Facebook (Public) · Facebook (closed group) · Twitter (closed group) · YouTube · Review us on Google
Every quotation and passage on this page is copied word for word from the episode audio transcript and linked to the moment it was said. Quotations are never written or altered by AI; topic labels, passage notes and the episode analysis are AI-generated. Guest details come from the published episode notes or the guest's own words.