What Did He Just Call Me?

Everyone knows I’m a night owl, so it’s no surprise to find me walking the grocery aisles at two o clock in the morning. This trip to the grocery store was a little different. Retrieved a small basket (normal), I got the items that I needed (normal), was called a name because of my hair (nor….. wait stop, different). I’m sure we all get mixed reactions to our natural hair but this comment floored me. I’m walking through the isles minding my own business. I hear a couple f stock men talking about some women who walked in with their scantily clad Halloween costumes. Even though I thought a comment from one of the gentlemen was inappropriate, I minded my business and continued to shop. Upon passing these gentlemen one takes the opportunity to call me a Piccaninny. I stopped in my tracks, looked him in the eye and politely gave him some rope to hang himself. I asked him “What do you mean?” He says “Your hair, we call that style Piccaninny where I’m from.” Right there I knew exactly what he was referencing and slyly trying to say. I said “I know what you’re saying to me because I’m also Caribbean and no it’s not a hair style.”

People he was saying that my hair was knotty/ nappy. If Pickaninny was a hair style it would look like this.

Hmm, really my CURLS look like that!?

Let’s get politically correct: Merriam-Webster

Pickaninny. Pickaninny (also picaninny or piccaninny) is an offensive derogatory term in English that refers to black children or a racist caricature thereof.  

This word came about 1850s to 1950s coming from the Portuguese slave traders, who probably called them pequeninhos, “little ones”. 

1920s it had become a racist slur in America for blacks.

To his defense in the Caribbean people do call their children “pickney” or picanniny doesn’t matter if the child is black or white. But when this joker said it was a hairstyle I knew his comment was of ill nature.

Now we can debate about this term Piccaninny but the fact is it has been used to refer to our children a less, not normal. Just because some don’t know any better and use it ignorantly, doesn’t make it any better than the word Nigger or acceptable.   

All I’m trying to do is be who I want to be at this phase of my life. Whether my hair is kinky, straight, or bi that’s my hair preference. I know I’m not at the stage where my hair is glorified for its growth capability but I’m still me and made the decision to wear my hair natural for my reasons. No one should have a problem with that especially my owned people.

More Pictures of Piccaninny


     

 Sold in the United States between 1910 and 1940

This is actually an extensive and cruel subject. We should not take others negativity and accept it as our own whether it's by choice or ignorance.  

The piccaninny stereotype

Blessings, Natural Bombshell