Veteran musician Hugh Masekela simultaneously elicited both raised eyebrows and praise when he recently refused to take photographs with women who were either wearing weaves or hair extensions.
According to the City Press, student journalist Sanele Ntshingana reported on this stance by the trumpeter when he accepted an honorary doctorate at Rhodes University.
Ntshingana quoted Masekela, who reportedly said to a student who took a photo with him: “You’re lucky that you were sneaky enough to have him take a picture of you next to me, otherwise I would have refused. I don’t take pictures with girls who have your kind of hair.”
Speaking at the university, Masekela apparently took the opportunity to voice his opinion about what he feels is a fading sense of heritage among the South African youth.
The musician reportedly also touched on subjects including indigenous language, music and storytelling, but most passionately lamented the fact that “about a billion rand” is spent on “other people’s hair each year”.
Saying that the youth should rather be spending their time focussing on “bigger problems”, reaction to his statements are said to have been divided.
Supporters of his opinion about his weaves and extensions gave him a standing ovation, while others felt that he was being “condescending”.
