Wrap Star Ann-Marie Davy
“My number one weakness is to compliment sisters, fellow WrapStars. Be they wrapped, draped, or otherwise, I love to walk up to them and let them know how beautiful they are!” ~Amiyra Asha
Hailing from the state of New York, USA and a staunch representative of her native home Trinidad and Tobago is this week’s awesome WrapStar, Amiyra Asha! She is the parent of three adult children, an avid reader, and of course she enjoys the entrancing melodies of steel pan and calypso; some of the artful music from Trinidad and Tobago. Amiyra will tell you she likes to travel and do many of the things we all enjoy, but shopping for fabric is a great passion of hers.
In our interview, it was so remarkable to experience her excitement as she told 
me all about her latest adventures in a new fabric store! Ask her to tell the story; I am sure you will enjoy just hearing the enthusiasm in her voice. Amiyra is also Muslim; interestingly, she says people often think she is a Rastafarian or an Israelite because of the way she dresses. You may wonder why? First, Amiyra notes that she is the only Muslim woman in her neighborhood that dresses as she does. Secondly, Amiyra believes that the Muslim law requires modesty, however, the style and type of clothing worn are based on culture. She refers to the difference in the attire of Muslims across the world, such as Africans or Pakistani.
So I started her interview with a question that was once asked of me; how many head wraps do you own?
Amiyra: “Hold on, I’ll have to count really quickly; they are all in a hamper…1…2…3…4”.
It turns out; Amiyra has over 50 head wraps of multiple types, fabrics, colors, and lengths. She says; “I prefer the knits because it’s easier to wrap and I have a lot of other pieces which are used for draping”.
Ann-Marie: Amiyra, why do YOU wrap your hair?
Amiyra: “Because it enhances who I am as a woman, it’s my culture, I love the way I feel and look. I don’t wrap everyday nor every place. In the summer time, I prefer to drape instead of wrapping because my hair needs to breathe, it allows me to absorb Vitamin D and because it’s nice to let my locks flow. Sometimes, I don’t wrap simply because my husband has asked me not to. He likes to show me off”, she says jokingly. “But, with all seriousness, I cannot live without wrapping, it’s a part of who I am….I have been doing it for so long.”
Ann-Marie: I need to go back a little; when you say it enhances you as a woman, what do you mean? And then I would like to know how long you have been wearing head wraps.
Amiyra: “I have been wearing wraps for 24 years now. Well, it’s hard to describe, it’s about the way I feel, you know, you have to love it and want to do other things with it to make it your own!”
I can definitely attest to being at a loss for words when asked to describe my feelings related to head wrapping. It’s truly something that you have to feel to understand.
Amiyra has been experimenting with more fabrics and styles and acquiring her own personal style from the influences of Africans and Pakistani women. She admires the authentic and elaborate colors of the African Geles and the draping styles worn by Pakistani women. Amiyra is also inspired by her mood and colors, saying; “sometimes, I just want to be bright, using orange to be energized or black when I am feeling sluggish”. So, we can tell what mood you are in just by the color head wrap you are wearing, I ask. She laughs and responds with an emphatic, “YES!”
Ann-Marie: What is your favorite style of head wrap?
Amiyra: “For work: the bun using cotton knit, maybe add another piece to it. For Services on Friday or in winter months: the Hijab and over-garment. For weddings: Geles and bright colored wraps. For summertime: Just draping”.
Ann-Marie: What challenges, if any, have you faced in regard to wrapping your hair and how have you responded to the challenges?
Amiyra: “Honestly there was only one challenge. Upon embracing Islam, my clothes got longer; I started to cover up more and began wearing the hijab. My grandparents, who are Anglican Christians, didn’t understand this change nor Islam. They acted on their own lack of knowledge and said ‘if you want to wear that and dress like that, you can’t live here’. They told me to stay and revert or I would not get anything from them. So I left without packing anything. A friend asked if I was sure I wanted to proceed. I said yes, so she offered me a single room in which to stay. I still attended school, and after three months, my grandma sent a message to me through a friend and soon came to visit me. My grandparents and I reconciled and I returned home. But I believe that was my test. The Koran teaches that we will be tested by wealth, mate, and children. Family is wealth; however, I chose to follow my beliefs. I have been wrapping my hair ever since!”
In closing, Amiyra says: “I just love wrapping my hair with a passion and I encourage females to experiment with colors and fabrics. I have often shown other women how to wrap and it makes me very happy.”
Please join CaribDirect, Sandal Solé®’, and Headwraps & WrapStars as we congratulate this week’s feature, Amiyra Asha!
Wrap on WrapStars!
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