Simple. In Ethiopia, locks are worn by the Bahatawi, Nuns and Debteras of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. But today, any visit to an Ethiopian Orthodox Church, at least here in Cali, will reveal a few Ethiopians wearing locks who are neither military, aristocratic, or Bahatawi/Debtera.

A visit to any Ethiopian variety store selling Ethiopian music will reveal that today, many Ethiopian singers and musicians wear locks.

The above shifts in Ethiopian culture are due to at least two things.

One, the fact that during the famine of the early-mid-eighties, it must be remembered that many starving Ethiopian mothers took a vow and made their sons lock up in order to recieve blessings from the Almighty. Some of these youths survived and is still locks.

The second reason is the culture of InI Rastafari. The inside back cover of a local San Francisco Bay Area Ethiopian magazine has a full page picture of Bob Marley (Berhane Selassie) entitled, "Bob Marley, ETHIOPIAN"
What else do you want?

Locks were not worn by the royal or military house, but by the spiritual house, that is why the King is the DEENDER OF THE FAITH. Once
HIM go to war and spill blood, HIM never wear HIM royal robes again.

As far as herb is concerned. The classic name for herb in Ethiopia is ISSAFARS, which means "the ancient substance". Ethiopians traditionally were not smokers, as they tended to regard smoking as something Muslims did. They also felt the same way about coffee, but that changed too. History is a fluid thing. I wish some could overs that.

Ethiopian scholars I reasoned with say herb was burned by the Bahatawi, Debteras and Monks/Nuns who would put large amounts of herb into a fire and they would chant and inhale the smoke. This may be related to the fire sacrifice of ancient India, which declared ganja to be one of only 4 substances suitable for the fire worship of the Father.

Ethiopians would tell I that they used to have to go to the MONASTERIES to get herb, which they would then take to Addis and sell to Swedes and Americans. Debra Damo, Debra Tabor in particular.

Half the story has never been told, man.