Not many know that I’ve been growing my hair for several years because it’s usually tucked in a beanie. When I let it down, I sometimes get the “exotic” comment in its various forms. When something isn’t normalized, it may be deemed exotic. You may be accused of self-exotifying during your personal journey. I remember when men getting earrings was exotic. Also, when a cultural practice becomes normalized, it doesn’t lose value. It means that balance is restored. Your tattoos, long hair, or plugs may be exotic to some but for cultural restorationists, it’s a path to normalization. You will have mistakes, imposter syndrome, and other challenges as part of the journey. Keep doing the work, learn, and unlearn. 5 generations from now, you’ll be an ancestor that helped revitalize a practice. PS: I do acknowledge that there are folks that get a full Batok bodysuit in a short span to market themselves to get more clients, or sell more goods. but that is an outlier. PSS: This will be one of the topics in my upcoming podcast relaunch