Many of us have seen the video where a white male student is confronted by a black female student for wearing dreadlocks.

Many have interviewed Cory Goldstein, the white student with dreadlocks, but do you know who I want to interview? The black student. What was it that irked her so much about his hair? What exactly did she mean by "our culture"? As Goldstein points out in the video, dreadlocks are a part of other cultures, but as it is unlikely that Goldstein, or many other white dreadlocks-wearers, identify with any of those cultures, I’m going to leave that to one side.

Today, dreadlocks are most closely associated with Rastafari culture and so that is what I will focus on.

But here is my issue, Rastafari culture does not equal Jamaican culture, and it most definitely does not equal "black culture". Rastafari culture is a part of Jamaican culture and it has shaped many aspects of Jamaican culture, but what gives the African American or the British-born Nigerian the right to take from Rastafari culture?

"What gives the African American or the British-born Nigerian the right to take from Rastafari culture?"

Before I delve into this, let me get some hair-definitions out the way.

Dreadlocks typically refers to “organic” or “freeform” dreadlocks, which are intentionally matted locks of hair. Think Bob Marley, or your typical gap-yah white boy with dreadlocks. However, dreadlocks can also be cultivated. This may involve palm rolling with balm or wax, or tightening with latch hooks or other tools. So these are your neater, smaller locs or Sister locs. People may chemically alter their hair to create a texture that can lock more easily (dread perm), or they may add extensions to their hair as a form of protective styling (faux locs, Marley braids etc).