Hair rolls. or "dreadlocks" to other cultures. Need advice.

[Nikia2474]

Hello everyone, I’m part native and white but mostly pass as white. My father practiced this hair style when he was young and always told me to find some part of your heritage to hold on to. I recently separated from the army and wanted to grow my hair out like he once did but apparently since this is similar to “dreadlocks” some (albeit a small minority it seems) of people claim this is cultural appropriation of the black community in the us. Now, since I pass as white mostly, I’m at a crossroads because the reason I want to do this is for personal and heritage reasons. It’s not just a “style” like some people want it for and I understand as a white native I get an assortment of privileges, but I find that some minorities do nothing to try to learn our culture, because if they did, they’d see how much we have in common.

I even read some really nasty comments on twitter talking about white hair (which is similar to native hair type 1 or 2) that it’s “disgusting” “moldy” you don’t wash your hair to get it like this which is certinalh not the case.

Anyhow what are your opinions on this. My native family is highly supportive of this but I would like to see everyone’s opinions.

[OLChemist]

Welcome to powwows.com.


This may sound a bit harsh. Your family, who know your people's ways, support you. Why are you asking anonymous strangers from different tribes what they think?

I had never known of a Native people who wore dreads until today. With all due respect, why on earth would you care what I think? I am clearly not knowledgable.


The only useful input might have is: My great uncle told me, if I was going to pursue a particular teaching then I needed to be strong enough to submit myself to family and community input and strong enough to ignore those who had no right to comment.

[Nikia2474]

Welcome to powwows.com.


This may sound a bit harsh. Your family, who know your people's ways, support you. Why are you asking anonymous strangers from different tribes what they think?

I had never known of a Native people who wore dreads until today. With all due respect, why on earth would you care what I think? I am clearly not knowledgable.


The only useful input might have is: My great uncle told me, if I was going to pursue a particular teaching then I needed to be strong enough to submit myself to family and community input and strong enough to ignore those who had no right to comment.

This is interesting for me to hear because I know that some First Nation elders had hair rolls as well, I’m not as connected with the tribe as much as I’d like to be as my fam no longer lives on the Rez and my father passed away when I was young, so I have limited knowledge of other tribes and their practices. Really the reason I’m writing this is to see if anybody still practiced this hair tradition because too me it was something not uncommon and I was hoping to reach out to the community to speak up about this due to some people being “called out” for having hair like this. Not only like this, but also having braids that could be mistaken for African American braids if unfamiliar to our culture. My sister grew up with braids in her hair and to think that my cousin who passed as white as well will be ridiculed for braids that are native in origin but everyone only sees African Americans doing this (African Americans not realizing this as well) and its a reminder of how indigenous people are being kicked to the side when talking about what’s acceptable and what’s not.

Also, I really appreciate that word of advice from your uncle. I’m just a little insecure about this choice as I only have a small connection from my grandparents and uncles are who native that don’t talk about the tribe as much as I’d like. They seem to have some sort of bitterness about it.

[Nikia2474]

Here’s a few

[gilisi]

Yamasee tribe ennit

[Nikia2474]

Yamasee tribe ennit

Mojave and Cree tribes practiced it mostly as far as I’m aware. Some Navaho from what I gathered it seems too. I know for a fact First Nation tribes do as well.

Idk everyone, it’s a tricky subject and will be volunteering with my local tribe here soon and will discuss it with them.

[gilisi]

Mojave and Cree tribes practiced it mostly as far as I’m aware. Some Navaho from what I gathered it seems too. I know for a fact First Nation tribes do as well.

Idk everyone, it’s a tricky subject and will be volunteering with my local tribe here soon and will discuss it with them.

Good plan

[LISA IRONMAKER]

Welcome to powwows.com ENJOY!!