Braided Hairstyles
Braiding is a method of weaving hair by interlacing three or more sections of hair over one another.
Historically hairstyles varied to some degree from tribe to tribe. Even within tribes, hairstyles varied from person to person. There is not really a signature hairstyle that was universally worn by all members of a tribe, but there are some hairstyles that are unique to a tribe, such as the wooden rolled squash blossom whorls worn by the Hopi women.
Native American Hairstyles - A historic overview including photographs of a variety of traditional Native American hairstyles.
Native Tech: Site features links to tribes by region showing traditional customary dress including hairstyles.
National Museum of the American Indian: National museum website devoted to the Native American culture featuring hundreds of thousands of photos, art and artifacts.
Hair Braiding Basics: 4 basic types of braids are explained here in step by step instructions.
The Basics of Braiding: Detailed guide to various braiding styles which can be applied to fibers or hair. This guide includes 3 strand and 4 strand braiding tutorials as well as how to braid things into the hair.
One of the most common hairstyles for women Native Americans was either one or two long braids. Sometimes the hair would be painted or dyed to decoratively adorn it. Men also wore long braids and sometimes short topknot style braids or a single braid called a scalplock.
Braided hair was also sometimes adorned with beads, feathers or wrapped or tied with animal skins (leather) or fur. Braids were known to be worn in a specific way to indicate status amongst some tribes. For example, married women in the Plains tribe wore two braids hanging down onto their chests. The unmarried women of the same tribe wore their two braids flung back over their shoulders, trailing down their backs.
Most tribes no longer regularly wear the unusual hairstyles most commonly associated with their tribes long ago. These elaborate styles are saved for special ceremonial occasions only. However, many men and women Native Americans still wear braids to this day.
The Native American people used a variety of different hairstyles, even within the same tribe. For instance in the Navajo tribe men and women wore their hair in different ways depending on the event. However braids were a popular option in some tribes and appealed to both men and women. There were even some who used a ribbon in those braids, with the ribbon holding special meaning.
Braids were highly popular with women in the Cayuse tribe. They typically parted their hair right down the middle, with the braids hanging on either side of the head. The braid itself didn't start until right at the bottom of the ear and was topped with a small decoration. Another decoration placed at the bottom held the braid closed, but occasionally they left the braid open or tied it with a small ribbon. Hopi women sometimes used the same look, only with the braids wrapped around and secured in a bun on either side of the head. Women in these tribes also used a single braid that hung straight down the back.
Resources on Native American braids include:
- Native American Hairstyles : discusses the different styles of hair used by the Native American people.
- Braided Hairstyles : focuses on the braided styles once worn by Native Americans.
- History of Hair : offers a short history on hair, including a discussion of Native American hair.
- Braid Hair Styles : shows different types of braided hairstyles including the Native American variations.
- Hairstyles Women : provides a short look at how Native American women wore their hair with braids.
This type of hairstyle was popular with males in the Crow tribe. It was also found in the Pueblo tribe, though these men topped their hair with a headband. In the Sioux and Blackfoot tribes, both sexes wore braided hairstyles, with or without a headband. The use of ribbons typically signified a special event or occasion and some tribes used ribbons as a way of signaling single females in the tribe. These hairstyles are often used by tribes today and many associate them with Native American tribes.
