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2017 has been a year of highs and lows for me but definitely one where I have learnt an awful lot from these experiences and from you. Below is a month by month summary of MisBeee Writes' Year in Review with the months displayed in Fante and Twi.    January:  Sanda-Ɔpɛpɔn   The year started off strong with a powerful interview from Tabom descendent Kai Lutterodt. Kai can trace her Ghanaian heritage six generations back to Brazil and has family connections to Brazil House in Jamestown.  Her story was not only an inspiration for me but spurred readers with Ghanaian heritage to get in touch and share their own journeys of tracing their family history back to Brazil. Kai Lutterodt and Brazilian friends - sourced from Kai   Autism awareness campaigner Venessa Bobb works tirelessly in the UK to dispel myths surrounding the condition in Black communities. This piece in the Voice was designed to keep this awareness going.   Never give...

It is official - products associated with dyeing and perming your hair are hazardous to your health. This is according to a five-year study of hairdressers by Black Women for Wellness - a US-based education and advocacy group catering to African American women. Black hairdressing tools ©  MisBeee Writes The findings suggest that certain ingredients synonymous with most Black hairdressing techniques could increase the incidence of miscarriage, cancers, uterine fibroids and respiratory conditions - to name but a few. Shocking when you consider how significant Black women are to the hair and beauty sector. Black women spend $9bn on beauty products, twice as many as any other ethnic group. And the sector is estimated to be worth $550bn in 2017. The report highlights six areas of concern:  1. Skin and eye irritation Hairdressers run the risk of occupational contact dermatitis when using certain shampoos, conditioners, hair dyes and bleaches. This cond...

Today, I learnt that my hair is heliotrichous - very curly – for those of you not in the know. I also learnt that the use of the afro comb dates back 6,000 years and engenders extraordinary symbolism. Unknown model with beautifully intricate hair style   ©  Northcote W. Thomas circa 1910 For example, in my country of origin – Ghana – the dua’afe (wooden comb) is linked to femininity and beauty.  In Egypt, women would often cover their hair with wigs to ‘protect’ their womanhood as it was linked to fecundity. It also defined their social status. It appears that Egyptians modelled their hairstyles on their Nubian neighbours and much of the stylings that we see today can be traced back to Sudan, Madagascar, Nigeria as well as other ancient African kingdoms. This information was just a snapshot of what I gleaned from a small but hugely inspiring exhibition on the humble afro comb in the heart of Cambridge, England.  The free exhibi...