In the past, why did many Native Americans and Rastafarians, not cut their hair?

Question

i'm curious- why many of them kept their hair long and natural- without any dyes or chemicals to straighten the hair-

i'm wondering- why many didn't cut their hair?

what spiritual purposes does not cutting hair do for them?

Answer 1

Broadly speaking, long hair is a sign of good nutrition, good health, and thus desireability.  That translates into religious beliefs about not tampering with the way that we are made (by the Gods or in relation to ancestors).  For quite a number of Native tribes, one cut one's hair only for very specific reasons, such as mourning one's souse or child or in some tribes as a way of indicating a change of status (like from child to adult or from single to married, or from slave ot member).  Keep in mind, however, that there is a great deal of cultural variation between the tribes just in North America, let alone in the whole of the Americas.  Also keep in mind that hair length and shaving standards have changed and swung back and forth among the various European and even American Anglo culture over the last few centuries, not to mention the several millenia prior.  

Answer 2

it might be a trend thing....thats how u get dred locks by not washing your hair and a couple other steps.

sorry it was an idea.

Answer 3

The Indigenous people have beautiful hair-- I should know cuz I'm SEMINOLE -- & yes, my dark hair is looongg. It looks good that way. But not all tribes wore it long. However, these days alot of Natives I know -especially men still wear their hair long.  In Oklahoma especially you'll see alot of fine Native guys w/long hair.

Don't know much about the Rastas- but different cultures do things different

  

Answer 4

Native Americans wore their hair in many different styles, not just long. It seems it was a personal preference between individuals.

Rastafarian religion believes that long dread locks show their roots: http://www.meta-religion.com/World_Relig...

I had friends from India when I was a child, and what they told me about the long hair under their turbans was that if they were good in this lifetime, they would be pulled to heaven by their hair when it was time to pass on.

Answer 5

i wish u reword ur question at first glance it doesn't seem to nice... but different ethnic groups have different reasons. u can't clump them all together. some tribes considered long hair beautiful. some native women's pride was completely in their hair, i think it was in the Cherokee. They loved their hair so much that when the whites came they would purposely cut their hair as short as possible to humiliate the women... and all Natives kept their hair long and natural.. well most some amazon tribes used red dye on their hair at times.