I was born in the twin Island of Trinidad & Tobago. I migrated to the U.S about
29 yrs ago and is a U.S citizen.I am married with a 12yr old named Zion.
Asha Mandela has what you might call a head-turning head of hair. The 50-year-old mother from Atlanta has been called the “black Rapunzel” for her 55-foot dreadlocks, the world’s longest.
"My hair has become part of me. It is my life. I will never cut it," Mandell said, adding that she maintained her locks even while undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer. The tattooed, bejeweled mother of one has also overcome two strokes and two heart attacks.
But her roughly 39 pounds of hair have also affected her spine. "The doctors seem to think I have a curvature of my spine and that it's the length and the weight of my hair that's making me curve,” she said. "Some have said my neck has collapsed at the back and that I need to be careful because I could start having spasms in my spine and probably be paralyzed."
Still, Mandela wants to keep growing her hair. "Cutting it would be equivalent to suicide. It would be like being a zombie." She says her locks have helped her love life. "My hair has never caused a problem with intimacy. I think it adds a little spice on top," she added.
In 2009, Mandela made headlines when she earned an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest dreadlocks. At the time, they measured 19 feet, 6 inches long – but one strand of hair measured 55 feet, 7 inches – nearly three times the official length. Washing her dreadlocks also proves to be a challenge. “I wash my hair once a week,” she said. It can take up to two days for the strands to dry.
“When I first started, it was more of a spiritual journey. It wasn’t anything to do with a fad or style in fashion,” Mandela said. “After 25 years of growth, my hair has really become part of me and I feel that if I ever cut my hair I’d really be taking away my life.”
Are you up for the challenge with your hair?
Cheers!
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