Author: Jewel Killikelly
Published: December 31, 1969
Tool: [ email ]
On a god blessed summer afternoon, Nedjetti, mother of peace and protection, sits across from me with her eyes of ancient history, skin of mahogany and locs of endless beauty. The entrepreneur of "Nedjetti's House of Peace," has the ability to touch your soul in so many ways. Yes, she's a hairartist, loctician or whatever her many talents can put a title on, but her true essence as a black woman, a human being, a child of God makes you fall to your feet in complete and utter awe. I am not implying that she's God himself, but she is certainly a fruit of his labor. Nedjetti, who resides in Clinton Hills Brooklyn, NY has been doing hair since childhood and professionalized her craft in 1995. Her professional credits range from her loyal clients, to T.C. Carson and Erika Alexander of televisions "Living Single."
Her craft has extended to the film industry landing her credit as a hairartist in an independent film titled, "Kali's Vibe" in which she made her cameo appearance. With credentials such as these, it's obvious that her god given talents know no limit. As we begin our interview, Nedjetti, whose home is where she creates beautiful, afrocentric and original hairstyles, offers me a cup of herbal tea. Her humbleness makes you wonder if she is "for real." Let me tell you something honey, it doesn't get any more real than Nedjetti.
Nedjetti, whose spiritual name is of Kenyan descent, means to protect and is a strong believer in truth. Her hairstyles are all created with the client's real hair. When asked why she does not use "fake hair", she responds with a bland look on her face, "I don't like deception and applying fake hair to someone's crown is not my way of living. I believe that we all should be conscious of falsehood and whether your hair is one inch long or whatever the length, you should embrace and appreciate that beauty because it's a part of you." Basically, she is saying false notions are a lie. Not only to others, but also to yourself. With a total dumbo look on my face, all I can say is, "Wow," and realize that the truth has just punched me in the face. Nedjetti has her craft to perfection.
As we proceed with the interview, we engage in a conversation touching bases with numerous subjects from slave mentality to knowledge of self. Our hair, referred to as crowns by Nedjetti, is our true essence. For someone going into transition from living his or her old way of life to living naturally and spiritually, there's no place better to begin with than your crown. Not so much in terms of your hair, but the rebirth of your mind. We tend to rely on what our eyes tell us instead of our hearts and minds. Everything you see is, not how it is. Society as a whole is very judgmental. I personally have allowed the demons of society to weigh their burdens on my shoulders, as well as my own insecurities, and totally disregarded whom I really am. "Others are judgmental, because they are unhappy with themselves. They cannot accept their true being, so when they see someone who has, it becomes a reality check they cannot face," she says with wisdom. This is why natural hair and locs is still a controversy in the workplace. Hiding like thieves in the night from life is how we are living. All of us. Accepting your true essence is the only way you can be set free. If God intended for us to have stringy hair, he would have given it to us. This is why Nedjetti only deals with natural hair.
Most of us know "dreads" is a form of expressing our liberty and pride in our heritage. Many have it as a religion. A burst of light and common sense was brought to my attention when Nedjetti refers to them as, Earthlocs. Earthlocs? What are they and why not call them "dreads"? Nedjetti explains, pulling out the dictionary, "To dread means fear, unpleasant, terror! I call them earthlocs, because that's what they are. Everything from the earth is a reflection of life. The rebirth of your crown is like a flower, it needs grooming to flourish. It takes time and patience for it to blossom and you have to nurture it for it to grow to the level of maturity." She goes on to explain, "I don't want anyone to be afraid of me, that's what dread means."
Some of us feel that we can't wear our hair short and natural, because of certain features we have. I am still weighing the scales about wearing short hair, because I feel that my head is too big and think I'll look ugly. Being the truth seeker, Nedjetti explains, "Ugly is a way of living. Your actions display whether or not you're ugly. If you're a mean person, you are considered ugly." She instills into her clients what real beauty means and to be thankful for what they have. Negativity and being ungrateful have no place with her.
Many sisters may agree that hostility in the beauty salon is the norm. Negative attitudes are very common, but Nedjetti's House of Peace is far from that. The name caught my attention just as much as her work did in NHS (Natural Hairstyles) magazine currently on newsstands. The atmosphere is highly spiritual, warm and friendly. This is how a professional hair care business should be. I am so pleased that I finally met someone who is all about helping her clients relax and not allowing personal conflicts to project into her work. She doesn't believe in being rough on the scalp or hair (HINT, HINT). Her hands feel like the sweet touch of a baby. When asked what made her title her business NHOP, she replies, "I love peace. I want when clients walk through these doors, to forget the chaos, backstabbing, non-loving elements they have to face everyday working on the plantation. I want them to realize they have a purpose. Part of my purpose is to help others understand what their purpose is." Damn! Is that real enough or what?
Well as you can see, Nedjetti is no ordinary beauty naturalist. She is definitely living her purpose. I really believe that we have found a caretaker for our heritage. Brothers and Sisters, embrace your true essence as well as each other. If you lose your way, come home to Nedjetti. Let the church say, Amen. To experience Light, Peace and Love Nedjetti can be contacted at 973.923.4817 (Hillside, New Jersey) or peep her website .
