The dying art of Didi on Natural Hair

Recently, I stopped making my hair. June was the last time I got my hair professionally done, all of which were done at O'Naturals, and featured in this blog.

For one or two reasons, I decided I wasn't going to make my hair this year again, and I would wait till my wedding period when I have to do the bridal styles before I allow anyone touch my hair again. So since then, I have been putting my hair in about 10-16 twists. or just packing in an updo.

Throughout last week, I was having this insatiable craving to do Didi. I couldn't do it upper Friday, so I forgot about it. My wash day was this past Saturday, and I was supposed to put my hair in big twists before going for NITC, but the desire to do Didi jumped on me again, lol.

So in the morning, about 11.00am, I asked my sister for where I can do Didi, i.e. the local onidiris. She directed me accordingly, and I went on my sojourn to get didi done.

First stylist: She had three young school children in her shop, all waiting to get didi done. She directed me elsewhere since I couldn't wait.

Second stylist: She had three young school children in her shop, all waiting to get didi done. She directed me elsewhere since I couldn't wait.

Third stylist: She had three young school children in her shop, all waiting to get didi done. She had a very nasty attitude, for which some people scolded her.

One thing was sure, the number of local hair makers, especially the ones who do didi is fast dwindling. The remaining have now become such local champions, and I'm worried that this would make our didi culture eventually extinct.

At this point, I didn't know what to do again. I just kept walking, and I determined I didn't want to weave/flat-braid my hair. It's either didi or nothing for me. I kept walking, and later asked one girl selling in a roadside shop. She directed me to a local salon.

On getting there, I saw all the hair stylists sitting and watching TV idly. They didn't have a single customer, which was strange for a Saturday morning. And all the onidiris were swamped. Anyway, I told them I wanted to do didi. They said 500 naira. I started exclaiming. 500 naira??? With my own hair??? I even told them I wanted to do it in just 6 or 7 parts, but they said that's the price, even for weaving.

So I said they should do it. When I opened my hair up, and loosed the 4 twists, the girl first swallowed spit, lol. I'm sure if she had her way, she'd have sent me back. I know how difficult it can be to pack full hair into didi, so I understood what must have been going through her mind.

One of the hair stylists just kept staring in wide-eye amazement. About 10 minutes later, her colleagues had to ask her why she's staring so hard, that hasn't she seen this long before? She said she hadn't. They then told her, there are few peopl with even longer ones.

I really felt for the stylist at some point. She kept stopping to exercise her hands after she couldn't take the pain again. It's not that my hair is kinky or stubborn, but if you understand the art of didi, and how it's completely different from weaving, you would know what how difficult it can be to pack length and fullness into an inverted braid.

Anyway, I got my didi done, paid, and was happy. I liked it. Up till now, no one has paid me a complinmet, lol... Not even Ebun at NITC, who only questioned me, asking if I did the didi because I want to wear wig *side eye*

I haven't had the opportunity to take a picture of my didi, but it looks something like what I did 5 years ago, in this picture