Native Portraits: Native Hairstyles at MIAC

As part of the exhibit Native American Portraits: Points of Inquiry at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe, this celebration of native hairstyles was held in November 2014. Numerous representatives from a number of southwestern tribes demonstrate and talk about the significance of traditional hairstyles. This first of three segments is introduced by curator Diane Bird.

[@marinesargsyan4959]

American Indians are very beautiful with their thick hair, healthy color of skin and tall strait stature of body.I am always glad to see such people with their honesty and wisdom.

[@erinhowett3630]

I love listening to Native American people talk about their culture. It's a different way of talking about ancestors. It's a way of speaking that seems to shorten the amount of time between ancestors and present-day. For instance, "we used to use buckskin" makes it sound like this is something she did regularly in her lifetime. She speaks as though her ancestors are standing next to her. Which, they probably are. I love it. It's a beautiful way of speaking about your history.

[@katizz988]

Native Children forcefully and brutally had their beautiful hair butchered. Very heartbreaking.

[@janetcarrier313]

The "boarding school cut" is connected to a very sad, and traumatic history.

[@june2420111]

I'm Peruvian and these images bring to mind many fond memories of my grandmother brushing my hair and putting it in different kinds of braid styles every morning. My grandmother also had braids until she was around 80 and starting losing her hair due to old age. Peruvian society still discriminates against these hairstyles. You can't go to a corporate job interview in the capital of Lima wearing traditional braids, for example. I wish we'd embrace the beauty of these wonderful traditions without needing white American or European individuals to embrace these before it's "cool" for young people wear them again as it happened with other indigenous cultural artifacts such as the chuyo and coca leafs.

[@kuo-haya9200]

Why do we always get compared to Asians? Why can't we just be us? We are the only race that always has to prove our identity to be native, even then we still have people telling us we're of Asian descent.

[@donnawoodford6641]

Man said his straight, long hair is like the rain. Never thought of referencing hair back to nature as they do.

[@ms.booklover2676]

I love that she wanted to do her hair like her grandmother did her hair.

[@toniabrown4376]

I'm never going to cut my hair

[@linedanzer4302]

Their hair is so beautiful, silky, healthy and long!!! Love it. And good on him for not allowing everyone touch his hair. I wear an Afro-puff which is naturally round in shape. People I've never seen in my life want to touch it. Although I don't like it, sometimes - especially with little kids who are entranced with my puff - I allow it. They are usually quite surprised at how soft it is. I guess they think it's going to feel like a brillo pad.

[@newatthis50]

Observed when I was on the rez. Rarely did anyone do their own hair. Unless it was cut short. There was a lot of touching. I so miss that. Men weren't afraid to touch men. Not inappropriately but as kids do. Warmly.

[@utej.k.bemsel4777]

I'm from Germany.

[@RubyOpheliaQuinn]

This was really interesting! I didn't realise that there was so much meaning attached to hair and certain styles.

[@vigdis628]

hair holds so much spiritual meaning, all over the world in so many cultures. i realized the power my haird holds after doing everything to it, from shaving it all off, to dreads, bleaching, ever cut and colour under the sun, now just letting it grow back to its natural state is a powerful feeling. loved the video

[@cfmpam498230]

Fun fact: US Military found that the original people could track exceptionally well so they recruited men from the tribes for this reason but after entering the military they had their hair cut off and their tracking was that good! The officers over this group ask why can't they track like before and they recruit said it was because their hair had been cut so the officers had them grow their hair back & the officers saw as the recruit's hair grew back they became better & better at tracking again!!!

[@agypsycircle]

I have hair down to my backside and I don’t think I will cut it until my Mom passes. It will go with her to be creamated. After that it will not be cut again. I’m white but was raised in a mostly native neighborhood. It definitely gives you a different perspective to how you interact with other people and most especially nature!

[@kirstenholliday6435]

I'm Native and I was crying throughout this whole video

[@jenniferevans2105]

I am native & my hair I charish deeply this video warmed my heart. My great great grandma was on the trail of tears from the stories I have been told then my great grandma was adopted by a pastor husband and wife from what my grandma has told me how the past was. All of our family history was wipes out except for the stories. I sadly don't know my native language. Only thing I know is my great grandma's native name meant 'Butterfly'. I have been unable to find a tribal number. So my hair is something I charish greatly. I'm 5 feet 1 inches tall and my hair is down to the back of my knees. May earth mother watch over us all🙏🏼

[@CraigsOverijse]

Lovely to see the respect and love between the father and daughter when she is doing his hair.

[@dawnstauffer797]

My daughter ❤️ and I cried as we were so beautifully enveloped & guided through this glorious woman's explanation. Thank you. 😊