All set for first ever Linden’s Locs Festival

Event aims to promote Rastafarian culture, fashion and conscious living

The Linden Locs Festival slated for June 25^th at the Linden Theme Park seeks to promote and celebrate  Rastafarian culture as well as to educate attendees and participants on the creativity and care on interlocking and natural hair styles.  LocsFest is the first of its kind in the mining town and is in observation of International Locs Day. It aims to be an annual signature event and a major tourism attraction in a town that is becoming one of Guyana’s leading tourism destination.

The creator of the event is loctician, make-up artist and cosmetologist Setra Oselmo who is also a Rastafarian and has made significant strides in redefining interlocking styles and care and maintenance of natural hair. She wanted to celebrate these hair styles that is becoming popular in our community on a larger platform. “We just want to showcase that persons with locs are more than what you see and more than what you interpret, we have skills, we have talent, we are very creative, so this is a way of celebrating who we are,” she said.

Locsfest 2023 comprises of a fashion and hair care exposition as well as is open to all small businesses, a loctician and Ital competition, a concert featuring Rawlo ‘Irates’ Band and other local artiste and a fashion show.

Rastafarianism is often seen as an olden way of life marked by chanting and herbs usage but Oselmo said ‘Locsfest’ will erase this negative narrative and showcase a beautiful culture that can be embraced by all. To further promote the event a locally produced song and music video dubbed “Locs Journey’” was released, which has received overwhelming response.

 Rastafarianism goes beyond interlocked hair but also embraces a lifestyle that is natural, healthy and mentally conscious. “This is something that we want to birth or grow Linden people from.”

Some sponsors for the event include Curelean, the Nico Consulting, Sister to Sister Beauty, Beharry Lumber Yard and the Region 10 Tourism Authority.