Durag, Doo-rag, Do-rag or Hairdo Rag?
The Durag is a statement headpiece worn for both fashion and functional purposes. It has risen into popularity over the last several decades, gaining popularity from famous hip hop singers and rappers as well as Black Empowerment Movements. While the pronunciation and understanding of the word “Durag” is universally understood, its spelling has taken on multiple forms. In this Veeta blog post, we are going to look at all the etymology of the “durag” — its spellings, the roots of each of these spellings, and which (if any) is most accurate.
Durag History
In order to fully understand the etymology of “durag”, we must look at the history of the headwear first. Durags first emerged in the 19th century, notably worn by black women who were enslaved and using the scarf-like piece cloth to hold their hair back while working. These headscarves were also used by 19th century Ethiopian soldiers for the same functional purposes. Fast forward to the 1940s-1950s era, which is when Vann Newkirk claims the word “durag” can be traced back to due to a growing popularity for commercial hair products within the black community. By the late 1960’s, the durag had evolved into a headpiece that was favored for more than function: It became an essential hair styling tool as well! Several resurgences and a half of a century later, durags have remerged today as a mainstream fashion trend and functional headpiece for waves hairstyles.
Names and Spellings of Durag
Now that we have the history of the durag on lock, we can start to break down the many ways that it is spelled and names used to describe it. Back in the late 1970’s, companies like “So Many Waves” were credited for selling their version of the durag. The president of So Many Waves, Darren Dowdy, called the headpiece a “Tie-down”, and gave credit to his father, William J. Dowdy, for the idea of wearing a cloth/rag to keep your hairstyle in place. The word “tie-down” lost its traction overtime while “durag” became the more widely used term.
The Merriam Webster dictionary defines durag as: “a piece of cloth that is worn on the head to cover the hair”. Universal across most dictionaries, “durag” is acknowledged to have the same meaning regardless of the spelling. Alternative spellings include doo-rag, dew-rag, du-rag or do-rag. The most obvious reason for these spellings would be that “do-rag” it is named as such because it’s a rag worn on the head to protect the hairdo. The etymology of “durag” is qualified by the New York Times and most people who commonly wear them to be spelled in this fashion.
In Sum
Regardless of the spelling, a durag is universally understood to mean the same thing and serve the same purposes. The durag is rooted in Black History and its meaning goes deeper than being fashionably favored and functional. Veeta honors the durag for all that it is and the ways that it as resurged throughout time. Veeta Superior Durags are manufactured with the highest quality materials and craftsmanship. Veeta is the superior choice and offers a collection that aims to set the standards of excellence for durags today.