Why hair matters
This is one of the many instances I have heard as to why it is important for Native Americans to have long hair. In this article, Jacqueline Keeler was writing about the Navajo Indians and how they do their hair - this had sprung to mind after reading an online article about some Navajo boy who was sent home from school because he had long hair (see here for more details).
From my understanding, both men and women have long hair - but part of the tradition for Navajos is for both men and women to tie back their hair and wear it in a figure 8 bun they call a tsiiyeel. They also wash their hair with yucca root. I even saw for myself some of the elders and anyone following those traditions more stringently, wearing their hair that way, while some of the younger people tended to follow the 'fashions'.
However, I was actually quite shocked to hear of this term in the Urban Dictionary: Navajo Shampoo. While I don't know if it is true, I found this to be one of the most disparaging comments I had read about any group of people's hair alongside what has been said about black people's hair, and punk rockers (though at least punks have more of a choice as to remain a punk, or opt out, whereas people who are born into whatever race they are don't have as much freedom of choice - I mean, they can assimilate, but why would they want to).
And yes, everyone gets 'paid out' about their hair: even amongst caucasian people, red-haired (or ginger) people have copped a ribbing for a long time, and more recently, blondes (mainly blonde females) have been labelled as 'bimboes'. Even one school bully in my high school called me a 'chimney sweep' because my hair was very dark (though not the beautiful jet black shade found on Asian and Native American peoples). So, I would joke back saying she was a plumber because her hair was a dull brown colour.
However, I knew that she was jealous and only saying it to get a rise out of me and I wasn't ashamed to have 'black' hair (which was more of a chestnut brown shade at the time), that is, until I went grey and dyed it various shades throughout my post adolescent years.
However, back to what I was saying about Native Americans: They obviously have their own beliefs as to why they have long hair: See the following articles:
It is not my place to say whether or not they are necessarily dirtier than what I would be, though they obviously would have different practices in regard to hygeine and grooming, that would be dictated to them by the physical environment they live in. In the absence of hairdressers or barbers, it would make sense to have long hair and to do it in a particular way, as they have been doing for a long time.
Likewise, if we told Muslims they were to stop wearing burkas (or headscarfs), we would be violating their own freedom of religion, so why is this courtesy not extended to other groups in this day and age.
cheers,
Night Owl
This is one of the many instances I have heard as to why it is important for Native Americans to have long hair. In this article, Jacqueline Keeler was writing about the Navajo Indians and how they do their hair - this had sprung to mind after reading an online article about some Navajo boy who was sent home from school because he had long hair (see here for more details).
From my understanding, both men and women have long hair - but part of the tradition for Navajos is for both men and women to tie back their hair and wear it in a figure 8 bun they call a tsiiyeel. They also wash their hair with yucca root. I even saw for myself some of the elders and anyone following those traditions more stringently, wearing their hair that way, while some of the younger people tended to follow the 'fashions'.
However, I was actually quite shocked to hear of this term in the Urban Dictionary: Navajo Shampoo. While I don't know if it is true, I found this to be one of the most disparaging comments I had read about any group of people's hair alongside what has been said about black people's hair, and punk rockers (though at least punks have more of a choice as to remain a punk, or opt out, whereas people who are born into whatever race they are don't have as much freedom of choice - I mean, they can assimilate, but why would they want to).
And yes, everyone gets 'paid out' about their hair: even amongst caucasian people, red-haired (or ginger) people have copped a ribbing for a long time, and more recently, blondes (mainly blonde females) have been labelled as 'bimboes'. Even one school bully in my high school called me a 'chimney sweep' because my hair was very dark (though not the beautiful jet black shade found on Asian and Native American peoples). So, I would joke back saying she was a plumber because her hair was a dull brown colour.
However, I knew that she was jealous and only saying it to get a rise out of me and I wasn't ashamed to have 'black' hair (which was more of a chestnut brown shade at the time), that is, until I went grey and dyed it various shades throughout my post adolescent years.
However, back to what I was saying about Native Americans: They obviously have their own beliefs as to why they have long hair: See the following articles:
- http://www.sott.net/article/234783-The-Truth-About-Hair-and-Why-Indians-Would-Keep-Their-Hair-Long
- http://www.whitewolfpack.com/2013/08/elders-talk-about-significance-of-long.html
- http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2015/01/14/native-history-january-1902-brought-haircut-order-158691
It is not my place to say whether or not they are necessarily dirtier than what I would be, though they obviously would have different practices in regard to hygeine and grooming, that would be dictated to them by the physical environment they live in. In the absence of hairdressers or barbers, it would make sense to have long hair and to do it in a particular way, as they have been doing for a long time.
Likewise, if we told Muslims they were to stop wearing burkas (or headscarfs), we would be violating their own freedom of religion, so why is this courtesy not extended to other groups in this day and age.
cheers,
Night Owl
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