Understanding Cultural Significance of Different Hairstyles

Hair is an elemental part of one’s identity, and most of us spend a lot of time grooming our hair to look and feel better. But hair is so much more than just a physical attribute. Have you ever taken the time to understand the cultural significance of different hairstyles?

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Hair has been an expression of cultural identity and a significant symbol of religious, ethnic, or national identity. Hairstyles indicate one’s age, affiliations, ethnicity, religion, and social status, and many ethnic and cultural groups use hair to define and even reclaim their identities.

Throughout history, various cultures’ hair and hairstyles have had significance far beyond esthetic beauty and protection from the weather. Some styles that originated in ancient cultures are still evident in contemporary society.

Cornrows, for example, have existed for thousands of years and remain timeless. Also known as canerows in the Caribbean, cornrows are hairstyles styled in straight lines or intricate geometric or curved patterns. They existed in 3,000 BC within various cultures of West Africa and the Horn of Africa. In recent history, cornrows remain a symbol of resistance against slavery and bondage. Cornrows were even a method of sending messages and maps to escape from the homes of slave owners.

Dreadlocks are another ancient hairstyle with rope-like strands created by locking or braiding the hair. Dreadlocks were part of several ancient cultures such as Greece, Egypt, and India, with some styles dating back to 1500 BC and going back as far as the Minoans of Crete, 3,600 years ago. Some mummified Egyptians had dreadlocks, as did Aztec warriors. Dreaded hair is part of the Rastafarian belief system that dreads happen to hair when freed from artificial processes. According to the Rastafarian interpretation of the Bible, dreadlocks also symbolically connect them to the strength of Samson, whose hair was the source of his power.

Mohawks, also known as the Mohican, are a hairstyle associated with Native American warriors. The original mohawk consisted of a square patch of hair on the back of the crown of the head, created by plucking hair rather than shaving it.

The queue is a Chinese hairstyle in which the front portion of the head is shaved every ten days while the rest of the hair is grown out and braided in the back. This hairstyle lasted under Qing rule from 1644 until 1912. All Han Chinese men were ordered to wear the queue as a sign of submission to the ruling Manchurians.

The Japanese women had many traditional hairstyles of which Nihongami is the best known, with two side wings and a long loop of hair below drawn into a topknot. This style was prevalent from 1603 to 1868. The hairstyles often indicated age, social status, and occupation. For example, the shimada was worn by girls in their late teens, the sakkō by newly married women, and the Takashimaya by brides. Japanese men of the same period wore chonmage, the traditional samurai top knot, still worn by Sumo warriors today.

Long hair is an indication of spirituality in many cultures around the world, and some people never cut their hair for sacred reasons. These include certain indigenous North American groups, some of whom believe that to cut one’s hair is to cut off the flow of thought or connection to a higher power. Among other native North Americans, long hair is a symbol of resistance. The Amish believe that the Bible prohibits men and women from shaving to differentiate them from their secular neighbors. Devout Sikhs have a similar tenant: neither men nor women are to cut their hair, and women aren’t to shave or even trim their brows. The practice is called Kesh. Young male children wear their heads in a bun until they are old enough to wear a turban. Girls and women wear braids and buns.

Long hair is often plaited — both on people’s heads and beards. Ornate braids could denote wealth, and flowers or jewels woven in. In warmer climates, braids keep hair off one’s face and reduce distractions at school or work. Among indigenous North American tribes, a three-strand braid symbolizes strength or Oneness of Thought. Among some rural Hindu women, a braid is a sign of virginity. During China’s Manchu Dynasty, rice farmers wore braids. Black women’s braids are integral to their culture and symbolize the strength of their roots.

Head shaving is a grooming habit also found worldwide, from monks in Nepal, China, and Tibet to those who are balding and those who choose to simplify daily grooming. Head shaving often denotes beauty and purification and is sometimes part of anonymity rituals. The Masaai women of Tanzania and Kenya shave their head hair and adorn themselves with jewelry instead. Hindu male and female children go through a head-shaving ritual called chudakarana for purification, and adults sacrifice hair at temples for blessings. Many monks of various religions shave their heads. Korean Buddhist monks and nuns shave their heads every 15 days. In another purification rite among the Hasidic Jewish Satmar sect, married women shave their heads before their monthly ritual bath. It’s a worldwide, time-honored tradition for male military recruits to get their heads shaved; it’s likely to teach newbies to be egoless, anonymous, and obedient.

Ultimately, hair is an individual choice. It is elemental and unique to the individual, and in many ways, it tells a story of origin, age, wealth, and religion.

Published author Pria Dee thinks it’s important for children to learn the wonderful differences in other cultures yet also how hard life can be. In her new children’s picture book Little Moe Can’t Fly, she depicts the struggles of a little gosling who is a late bloomer. Pria has an active imagination often weaves her stories around ideas that show empathy and involve relatable characters. She hopes her young readers come away from her books with a glimpse of another’s life and learn the similarities and differences in their own lives. Priya also appreciates spending time in nature, often with her dog and draws inspiration from it. Balu Saves the Day is her second children’s book, along with a book for adults.