Why did American Indians believe that long hair gave them strength?

American Indian’s Belief in Long Hair.

The belief that long hair gave strength to American Indians is deeply rooted in their cultural and spiritual practices. Here are a few reasons why they held this belief:

1. Spiritual Connection: Many Native American tribes believe that hair is an extension of the nervous system and acts as a spiritual antenna, connecting them to the spiritual realm. They believed that long hair helped them maintain a stronger connection to the spiritual world and receive guidance and protection from their ancestors and spirits.

2. Symbol of Identity: Hair was considered a symbol of one's identity and cultural heritage. It represented their tribal affiliation, family lineage, and personal history. By keeping their hair long, they felt a sense of pride and strength in preserving their cultural identity and traditions.

3. Protection: Native Americans lived in harsh environments and faced numerous challenges, including extreme weather conditions, physical combat, and spiritual battles. They believed that long hair acted as a protective shield, both physically and spiritually. It was believed to provide insulation against the cold, protection from the sun's harmful rays, and even offer some defense against physical attacks.

4. Energy and Intuition: Native Americans believed that hair was an energy conduit, capable of absorbing and retaining energy. They believed that long hair helped them gather and channel energy, enhancing their intuition, perception, and spiritual abilities.

5. Respect for Nature: Native Americans had a deep respect for nature and believed in living in harmony with the natural world. They saw hair as a part of nature and believed that cutting it off would interfere with the natural flow of energy and disrupt their connection with the environment.

It's important to note that these beliefs varied among different tribes and individuals, and not all Native Americans shared the same beliefs about long hair. Additionally, these beliefs are rooted in their cultural and spiritual practices and may not align with Western scientific explanations.

Do Hats Cause Hair Loss

Hats do keep your scalp & hair safe from the UV rays which can cause damage. Controlled and limited exposure to the sun is key. The sun is not 100% bad for your scalp and hair if you spend anywhere between 10-30 minutes per day without a hat, the sun can actually combat and prevent hair loss.

The vitamin D that the sun provides also creates new hair follicles which promotes hair growth. Wearing a hat or using a natural spf may provide protection while being outdoors. A good habit is parting your hair in the opposite direction to lessen the exposure on one side of your scalp. You can also use organic avocado oil or organic sunflower oil on the hair that’s exposed to protect from the UV rays. These oils have many benefits for your skin as well and make great carrier oils.

Natural Hair Dye Alternatives - Are They Worth It?

After trying to find a natural alternative and pushing away hair dyes that contained harsh chemicals and toxins I experimented with Henna which left my brown hair the same color with a tinge of red and my small percentage(at the time)of grey strands orange.

It was a nice natural scented, messy experiment. My hair had some shine to it, the color was not right for me so I chose darker henna powders and tried amla for a more ashy effect… still not impressed with the outcome on myself but my friend looked gorgeous. Although Henna might work for you if you have more of a warmer hair color preference and it would be the healthier choice if you choose to color your hair.

Next, I found Hairprint, it was natural just like henna although it did not leave an orange or red tint on my hair which I didn’t want anyway. Again, it smelled natural and was quite messy. My hair looked darker even though I used a light brown my hair looked darker and flat and it was rough to the touch, that dry feeling.

Just like the henna powder I would still need to apply this natural messy product every 3-4 weeks cause the roots would show the hair color difference and we couldn’t have that now, could we? I mean, what would the world say, it’s forbidden to show grey hair, it’s a bad bad thing….Really? It’s Not a bad thing, it’s an Awesome thing.

Mother Nature Knows Best and the Best thing You can do for Your hair is to Not Dye it or Hide it, Do Not Cover it, Show Your Beautiful Sparkly Strands and make them Sparkle even more with the Natural oils that work for Your hair like Coconut oil, Avocado oil, Grapeseed oil. Be careful with some oils that stain hair like Almond oil or Amla oil, these could leave a yellow tinge. My Final Thought, Flaunt that Sparkly Real Natural Hair and Don’t Hide it!

How To Grow Out Gray Hair

There may be many ways to grow out gray hair but they may not all be the most healthy choices you make for your precious strands. Let’s find out what the least healthy methods are, which most professionals do not recommend if you want to keep your hair growing without breaking.

1) Bleaching. This can be done to camouflage the gray by adding highlights, the more highlights you add the more damage is created to your hair.

2) Permanent hair color. May also be used for lowlights and highlights while growing out gray hair. Not as harsh compared to bleaching although permanent hair dye can still change the structure of your hair and cause dryness and split ends, in some cases can also cause hair thinning and loss.

The following are the Most recommended ways to grow out your gray hair if you don’t want to damage your hair with chemical treatments which can result in your hair’s structural integrity being compromised.

3) Go Raw. Just let your hair grow out and trim your ends monthly or as usual. This will take the longest to get rid of the root contrast.

4) Cut hair short. Some women have a difficult time cutting the length and don’t want to wait forever to grow their long hair back.

5) Shave head. Start from the beginning, all the hair dye will be gone and you’ll have a fresh start with no roots, although difficult to do if you don’t have patience and are a long-hair lover. You can accessorize and easily wear a wig if you prefer to hide your shaved head during the grow-out process. Hats, bandanas and other forms of head covers also work.

When growing gray hair out, the main thing to remember is to have patience and know that your natural hair will be healthier, softer and shinier compared to when you used chemical treatments and in most cases will look beautiful on you.

After you’ve grown your gray hair out you may need to change your hair products to maintain it correctly.

There are many natural ways to grow the hair faster, everyone should have the right nourishing hair products for natural haircare while transitioning to gray hair.

Natural Hair Care