The Black Rapunzel
The Black Rapunzel, Asha Mandela, got this nickname because of her world record for the longest dreadlocks. The latest official measurement of her locks indicated a length of 5,9 metres. A later, unofficial measurement indicated a shocking 16,9 metres! The world record itself is not officially measured since 2009, because nowadays it’s impossible to know whether the hair is real. Extensions can be placed or a broken dreadlock can be reattached, which makes it impossible to have an official world record for it.
The now 50-years old Asha has been growing her locks for 25 years, because she wanted a more ‘natural’ hairstyle. Her hair has, after 25 years, really become a part of her, cutting it would feel like ending her life.
Unfortunately the metres of hair aren’t very good for Mandela herself, her hair weighs about eleven kilos when it’s wet, not much fun to carry around with you. Because it’s so much, it takes a good two days before it’s dry. Doctors say the curvature in her spine happens because of the weight of her hair, they say she has to be careful she won’t start having spasms and that she could become paralyzed.
Cutting it would save her quite a lot of money, she now washes her hair once a week with no less than six bottles of shampoo. Asha herself, however, doesn’t seem ready to cut it off anytime soon.
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