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Cutting his hair was their way of showing dominance over him through forced assimilation. Eventually, he told me his hair was cut in an effort to strip him of his culture and identity. But as I got older, he would tell me more about his experience and what it meant to him. When I was about 5 years old, my grandfather first told me about being forced to cut his hair when he was carted off to boarding school, and I am sure I heard this more than a dozen times as I grew up.
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This reinforces the value of the family and tribe along with our connection to all of creation. It is said that single strands of hair are weak when tugged on, however, when you pull all of the hair together in a braid the hair is strong. There is a teaching about the symbolism of the braid, itself, that reaffirms this practice. It’s a beautiful way to bond and a powerful way to reinforce the sacredness of relationships. It was a special time of bonding for the two of them.Īt pow-wows, it is common to see family members and friends brushing and braiding hair for each other. She expressed the sadness she felt because she could no longer sit with him and braid his hair. When my grandfather died, my mother cut my brother’s hair. My mother used to braid my little brother’s hair every day before school. Braiding a child’s hair is the beginning of establishing an intimate and nurturing relationship. How we relate to our hair is a constant reminder of our connection to our culture and a distinct worldview grounded in the sacredness of relationships. Women and men will adorn their hair with fur wraps, woolen wraps, feathers, fluffs, and bead work for war dancing and ceremonies. Some families will paint their hair depending on the ceremony or their family’s distinction. Some tribes will use two braids, while others will use three. It is a form of creative self-expression that reinforces our connection to our family, tribe, and Creation. Our hairstyle and ornamentation are guided by the values of our family and tribe. In preparation for ceremonies, we take great care in the grooming, styling, and ornamentation of our hair. As part of the practice in self-respect, we are taught to take good care of our hair through proper grooming. This strong cultural identity promotes self-esteem, self-respect, a sense of belonging, and a healthy sense of pride. In many tribes, it is believed that a person’s long hair represents a strong cultural identity. Our hair is considered sacred and significant to who we are as an individual, family, and community.
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One of many things important to our cultural identity is, our hair. There are many teachings and practices in our tribal cultures that are significant to who we are as Native people.