As a Dominican, I wear durags for various reasons. They can help maintain my hairstyles, especially waves or curls, by keeping my hair in place. Additionally, durags can protect hair from environmental factors and help in the process of hair maintenance, such as when I visit my tio and work with him on his farm. But to be more specific I was given this durag by my tio Cheo and not too long ago he was murdered by a bar in Dominican Republic.
So I personally wear it as homage to my Tio to remember him by. Wearing the durag my Tio gave me I feel can symbolize a connection to your American identity, due too how much he fought to get in America, help raise me along with my other Tia’s, give up days of his work to make sure I’m ok if I got sick, and live his dream of becoming a American citizen. It was 2022 when my Tio gave me this drug. At first I almost never wore it because I didn’t really care about my hair and how it looked. But then in 2023 He was murdered by a gun man in the Dominican Republic in Punta Cana. After his funeral I found the durag and started taking more care of my hair, just wearing it just as a homage. Now I wear it everyday because life is short and you never know when someone will go, so I believe it’s helped me become more appreciative of life as a whole.

– Miguel Vega

Relationship:  Im/migrant Im/migrant