Mulletfest: Where the derided ’do isn’t a hairstyle – it’s a lifestyle - The Washington Post

KURRI KURRI, Australia — Leah Jachmann watched anxiously as her son lined up onstage next to the other contestants. Jedrik was only 7 years old, but he’d spent most of his life preparing for this moment. An emcee handed him a microphone, and the boy quietly introduced himself. Then it was showtime. Jedrik turned to the side, revealing 18 inches of wavy locks that tumbled from the back of his head like a light brown waterfall. The awestruck emcee asked what his secret was. “Mullet juice!” Jedrik’s mother shouted from the audience. “Homemade mullet juice. Rainwater, conditioner and coconut oil.” As the crowd cheered, Jedrik spun and shook his mane as if he were in a shampoo commercial. Welcome to Mulletfest, where Australia lets its hair down — and wholeheartedly embraces its bogan, or redneck, side. Australians, some too young to walk, competed in Mulletfest’s grand final this past weekend across a range of categories, including “extreme,” “grubby,” “everyday” and “ranga,” a derogatory

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• Danh Khôi Nguyễn