Barrett, The Honors College Thesis/Creative Project Collection

This thesis will encompass the chemical, social, cultural, and even religious significance and history of Henna. Henna is a natural paste made out of dried henna leaves which is then mixed with other ingredients such as lemon juice, tea, essential oils, and sugar. Depending on the region, everyone uses a different recipe and ratios due to the different climates. Henna has been used for celebrations such as weddings in Western Asia, the Middle East, and even Africa. Henna has also been used in religious celebrations for Muslims such as Eid. The practice of henna application has proven to be a uniting factor in multiple cultures, as women gather to get their henna done for celebrations and joyful occasions. Despite its cultural significance, henna was actually used medicinally in ancient times due to its cooling properties. People used to dye the soles of their feet, and hands during the summer in order to cool down their bodies. Slowly, henna became more of a beauty factor and women began to make designs with it to adorn themselves. Applying henna is a lengthy process. Henna must dry for about 30 minutes before one is able to continue with daily routine. Then the henna must be wrapped after being soaked in a lemon sugar solution. This must remain for 5+ hours in order to achieve the desired intensity of the stain. However, once the dry henna is taken off, no water must touch the premature stains for 24 hours since this is when the henna begins to oxidize and the color begins to darken. It takes 48 hours for the henna stain to fully mature. Due to this, chemical henna, otherwise known as “instant henna” has been created to make that dark mature stain in a matter of a few hours, sometime even minutes. There are two downsides: the first being that the stain does not last 1-2 weeks like the natural henna does, the second being it is a major health risk. Most of these prepackaged chemical henna cones contain additives that are used to dye hair. This dye is not meant to be used on skin, so many people have gotten chemical burns due to this. It can even lead to full-on allergic reactions resulting in hospital-stays. The use of chemical henna not only poses health risks, but it also diminishes the value of henna and what it stands for. This project will dive into the following questions: How does henna stain the skin? How has Henna impacted women throughout the world? What is the artistic significance of Henna? What aspects of Henna have allowed it to be integrated into cultures throughout the years? How can one avoid the use of chemical henna, and what kind of potential risks arise from this?

It is the marvel of a sunset on the most ordinary day that can change life forever. In this Honors Project, I attempt to explore my innate fascination with beauty and the results of this relationship. This creative project aims to explore the five pillars that are responsible for the book of poems, Why Do We See Beauty?: The Human Event, the Tao Te Ching, Philosophy, Buddhism, and my relationship with God. These pillars have intertwined consistently throughout the past few years and the entire book of poems is a product of my engagement, integration, and synthesis with these components of my life. The creative project, Why Do We See Beauty?, consists of fifty-one poems that center around spirituality, truth, and the mystery of God; whether implicitly or explicitly stated, the poetry serves as a medium to wrestle with the truth in my life. Through a breakdown of these five pillars of my poetry and then the communication of key themes, texts, and ideas that are grounded in it, I hope to share my art from the past few years. What started in The Human Event during my first year at Barrett has evolved into an undergraduate creative project that shows how The Human Event became personal.