Haley Gielen’s dreadlocks business thrives in Rawene, attracting clients

Nestled deep in the Hokianga sits the peninsula town of Rawene. A couple of cafes, a puzzle shop and a ferry terminal call this place home, but so does Haley Gielen - a loctician who spends her days transforming people’s hair.

Haley Gielen runs a successful dreadlocks business after a close friend who ran their own helped her acquire the skill.

It’s nimble work and something she has been practising for around eight years.

Haley Gielen’s dreadlock business is run from the comfort of her home in Rawene. Photo / Brodie Stone

“When I finished working for [her friend] I moved to Aussie and I didn’t do it as mahi there, I did it more as something that I could offer people on my travels.”

“Like, you know, you meet somebody and you’re like, ‘oh you’ve got dreads? I can look after them for you’, and it’s a nice way to connect with people.”

That mindset has carried throughout her journey to owning her business which she officially set up after moving back to the Hokianga.

She didn’t want to work for anyone else but knew she needed income - luckily she came armed with an unusual skill set.

“I started slowly offering it to the community and it just snowballed into a pretty successful business.”

Onlock Dredlocs has been in operation for between three and four years and most of Gielen’s clients have found her through word of mouth.

People come from as far south as Auckland and as far north as Houhora to have their hair either maintained or transformed completely.

She has a loyal customer base, but Gielen said she also likes to keep things real.

“I think that potentially not everybody does come back to me and I think that if people are going to decide to come back it’s because we click.

“I’m not the kind of business owner or person that’s superficial or pretends that I’m something I’m not when people come in.”

She said the ability to get along with a range of personalities personally bleeds into her mahi.

“I keep it real with clients and I think that’s probably what they appreciate.”

Haley Gielen is pictured here creating extensions for a client. It's a long process with a method that's evolved over time. Photo / Brodie Stone

Her workspace is a small room adorned with a large mirror, an Aztec-style carpet, a chair for clients and plants hanging from the walls.

Magazines and books sit ready to be pursued and windows framing native bush outside bring in a natural light.

She tries to welcome clients in like she would a friend and does away with any awkwardness that comes with having a home studio.

Clients often bring children with them who run amok about the house or watch movies on her sofa.

“I just do my best to make them feel at home,” she shrugs.

While she works away at clients music pumps away softly and conversation comes and goes.

Rawene-based Haley Gielen wants to create a welcoming environment for her clients who come for what can be a hugely transformative experience. Photo / Brodie Stone

It’s a relaxing environment and comfortable even in silence.

Gielen said clients often express the fact that they feel at ease in her space, something that she described as “such cool feedback”.

She’s conscious of keeping the room filled with positive vibes, especially since she wants the energy placed into people’s hair to be positive, she says.

Working from her home means having strong boundaries in her work life.

She tends to make extensions within her little studio, “... but me and a client watched the UFC in the lounge the other day,” she grins.

Creating a whole head of new dreadlocks can take a day, or she might spend her time with three different clients maintaining their hair.

For maintenance, she charges an hourly rate while creating dreadlocks costs a base rate.

“[That’s] so I can take however long I want with it and take my time with the creative process, and so I don’t charge people heaps of money either because I don’t want to.”

“I like to be able to give each client the presence and time that they need and I find if I’m worrying about trying to get a job finished before the next client then they might miss out on that a little bit.”

Her technique has evolved but she primarily uses the crochet method with a backcomb, twist and rip.

That’s to ensure people still have some length to their hair once it has been transformed.

She doesn’t use wax or products, “just a good ole crochet hook”, she nods.

Despite how it looks, the work is less taxing on her hands and more painful on her back.

A trusty yoga mat lying on her deck would indicate she’s got that well under control.

Haley Gielen says the best parts of her job include the work-life balance as well as the connections she makes. Photo / Brodie Stone

When asked what it is about dreadlocks that people love, Gielen said it’s different for everyone.

“Personally wearing dreads, I like the fact that I seem to come off more approachable I would say.”

“The thing I love about giving people dreadlocks is seeing them coming into themselves in different ways and the way it affects them.

The whole self-expression thing and what that can do for a person mentally, it’s really cool to witness and to be a part of.”

“It’s an honour really to be able to give that to people and be a part of that, it’s really special.”

Brodie Stone is an education and general news reporter at the Advocate. Brodie has spent most of her life in Whangārei and is passionate about delving into issues that matter to Northlanders and beyond.