Hairstyle worn in many cultures including New Zeland Maori, Indian sadhus, and Kenyan Mau Mau rebels.
Popularized by Rastafarians in Jamaica. Bob Marley and other artists were the instrumental in introducing the style to Americans. Dreadlocks supposedly got their name from the dread they inspired in Whites onlookers. For some people locks have spiritual significance, for others it is just a hair style.
Contrary to popular belief, most people who wear "cultivated" locks must wash and groom them regularly. On highly textured hair (like many types of African American hair), locks form naturally if washed, conditioned and twisted regularly. It is not dirt or wax that form the locks but the tangles in the hair that result from not combing it.
People with straighter hair must often resort to using beeswax, glue, not shampooing, or frying their hair with chemicals to force their hair to bind and mat. These substances are difficult to wash out and can cause locks to stink and break off.