Chiedza Matenga Features Correspondent
Footballers, especially those plying their trade in Europe, are known for their unique hairstyles.

Think of Mario Balotelli, Bacary Sagna or Gervinho.

Even English legend David Beckham had his trademark hairdo.

Hair style makes a statement – on and off the pitch. The connection between hairdos and football is almost cast in stone.

However, some hairdressers in Glen Norah in Harare have taken this connection to another level.

Each hairdresser operates under a shade with a soccer team motif.

So, if one supports a particular football club, they are expected to go to a particular hairdresser who supports the same team.

The banners – flags – announce the same.

You have your Barcelona, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, Real Madrid and, oh, don’t forget your Dynamos, CAPS United and so on.

Close to the popular “Masimbi” bus stop, under a thatched structure stands the Rasta People Hair Salon with a sign close by painted the salon name and a few blurry images that appear to be “Rastas”.

Formed two years ago by Dzakire Mavhezha, the Rasta People Hair Salon is growing in numbers and more opportunities are opening up.

The team is made up of Tawanda Samombe, Jeremiah Chigodora, Phineas Musikavanhu, Oswald Takawira, Godknows Mavhezha who is Dzakire’s brother, Emmanuel Hamandishe, Carlton Hamandishe, Wilfred Rwizi and Dzakire himself.

“We started out as three guys but now we are nine,” he said.

“Some of us put on Dynamos jerseys to identify ourselves with Dynamos and Chelsea football teams, but this is not always the case.”

If a customer requests to have a hairdo at home, they make special arrangements since they have other customers piling at the salon. And when this is done, the customer comes to pick them up for the job.

Under normal circumstances they can have a minimum of 12 people visiting the salon and that amounts to at least US$100 per day. The team does anything from dreadlocks to weaves, although some of them argue that they cannot do short weaves.

“Weaves are a bit different especially short weaves that require extra attention, so we leave them for others,” Wilfred said.

Speed is the most important part and skill of the profession. Singles popularly known as “ma 1 /1” can take at least three hours especially if they are working together.

The cost ranges from US$15-US$35, depending on the length and thickness.

Dzakire says they hardly run out of customers.

Their business has seen celebrities such as Lindsay, who gets her hair braided into singles and Lady Banks, who has her locks renewed and styled every time and again.

In five years these nine male hair dressers expect their business to flourish as they plait three to four customers per day and see them increase by the day.

Not so far from the Rasta People Hair Salon, is Smart Zone Hair Salon also managed by a group of male hair dressers.

The Rasta People Hair Salon has a few Rasta hairdressers, conversely the Smart Zone hair dressers seem to defy the case of Rasta culture being about hair but the personality at heart.

Two and a half years ago, the Smart Zone Hair Salon came into existence with only five male hair dressers making up the group.

Within these years, the bar has been raised to 14. The crew has 12 members who are hands-on, who comprise Ronald Gutsa, Trymore Kambizo, Timothy, Joram, Regis, Ernest, Godfrey, Respect “Mabhatiri”, Peter “Joker”, Matthew “Mupostori”, Donald “Bigman” and Masimba “Matembo”.

Identifying a salon with a football team has become popular as Smart Zone does so through Barcelona.

Of late, a craze of carrot braided by means of twist has hit the streets which gives the Smart Zone fellows a good go, including long weaves, twist, pick ‘n’ drop, fishtail and of course locks that have become famous with the statement, “marasta awanda kupfuura vanhu,” (dreadlocked people are growing more in numbers compared to ordinary people.)

Clients come from such places as Hatfield, Borrowdale, Southerton, Glen View and Waterfalls.

“Parents with children or relatives from abroad especially the United Kingdom bring them here so we normally braid them as outside the country it is quite expensive, but in Zimbabwe we have clients coming from as far as Acturus Mine,’ he said.

“If a customers want to be plaited at home, they have to pay a different amount as the prices differ from those we charge here at the salon,” Trymore said.

The spirit of dreadlocks is growing.

The Zimbabwe Afro Sleek Hair Show, ZASH, which began last year brought together hair dressers who publicly displayed their talents in three categories specifically; day or formal hairdo, night or wedding hairdo and funky hairstyle, which were showcased at the Harare International Conference Centre.

In the Bible, women’s hair is said to be their glory and the pride of men is their grey hair.

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