Sisters from Papua New Guinea stress the importance of valuing natural beauty
In Papua New Guinea, Celia Omae said she just wanted her hair to blend in. She would put in extensions and would relax (permanently straighten hair) until she said to herself, “I love my natural hair because it’s beautiful the way it is. Why would I want to try to be something I’m not?”
Celia Omae, a sophomore, studying biology, and her sister Elaine Omae, a freshman also studying biology, said they both have aspirations to become doctors.
Elaine Omae said she has always considered her hair beautiful because it is thick. She said she likes to put it in different styles, combing it out to an afro or tying it up, but she loves to wear her hair in braids.
Celia Omae explained the culture in Papua New Guinea favors a natural beauty standard. Elaine Omae said, “Natural beauty is the best. ... even if you put [in] extras... God created us the way [we] are, and if we do not accept that, we’re not accepting His love, and [this is] His way of showing that he cares for us. He wants us to just accept that natural beauty.”
Celia Omae said she continues to have a good relationship with her hair but she added she is sometimes too lazy and doesn’t want to do anything with it, due to the extensive maintenance her hair requires.
Elaine Omae said, “When I was little my mom [used coconut on her hair]. Most times when we want to treat our hair, we don’t use chemicals. We actually just get the coconut, scrape it [inside], and then we squeeze the milk out and use the dry [insides].”
She continued, “We use that to wash our hair and then we pour the coconut milk [on our hair]. ...it keeps the hair moisturized ... and oily.”
In Papua New Guinea, hair texture and color differs from province to province, said Elaine Omae. She explained the four provinces are the Highlands, Momase, the Coastal region and the New Guinea Islands where hair is typically ginger.
