10 May 2020, 7:34 pm - In Which Frenchie Cuts His Hair, But I Do Not
Cherie Dimaline’s The Marrow Thieves, the characters’ hair is a representation of their culture. Hair is often shorn off by oppressors, especially those who want to “assimilate” the Indigenous youth into the oppressor’s world (Stensgar).
See: The Significance Of Hair In Native American Culture
“I wasn’t the tallest, but I did have the longest hair of any of the boys, almost to my waist, burnt ombré at the untrimmed edges. I braided it myself each morning, to keep it out of the way and to remind myself of things I couldn’t quite remember but that, nevertheless, I knew to be true.” (Dimaline 21)
“I puffed out my chest a bit, remembering that I still had the longest braids, even in this larger group. That made me a better Indian, after all.” (190)
The quotes above are Frenchie’s thoughts and descriptions of his hair. He views his hair as a connection to his past, and a marker of his worth as an Indian. According to Stensgar, hair can be a “physical extension of all our thoughts, prayers, dreams, aspirations, experiences and history.” Additionally, the act of braiding hair is a lesson in family. Stensgar says, “single strands of hair are weak when tugged on, however, when you pull all of the hair together in a braid the hair is strong. This reinforces the value of the family and tribe along with our connection to all of creation.” Frenchie and his fellow youth grow out their hair to symbolize their connection to each other, and their ancestors.
Additionally, it is hard to schedule a haircut during an apocalypse.
I’ve been through many hair cuts, some good, some not so good. I color my hair, I give myself bangs, I tell myself, “It’s just hair.” I once chopped off 6 inches because I needed a new face to look at in the mirror. However, I only get my hair professionally cut around every 6 months - once before summer, and once in the fall. So when COVID-19 caused closures of barbershops and hair salons, of course it was time for my bi-annual hair cut. I had just bought some professional hair cuttings scissors to keep my bangs trimmed, so after watching one Youtube video, I figured I could cut my hair.
See: Brad Mondo- Hairdressers Guide To Cutting Your Own Hair And Not Ruining It
Ultimately, though, I decided not to cut my hair. More because I want to have long curls for my vow ceremony than because of any sentimental attachment to it. But I noticed that a lot of people were turning to hair changes to beat the boredom of quarantine. They’re cutting, bleaching, and dyeing their hair; they’re giving haircuts to their partners; and now, people are protesting to have barbershops and hair salons open because they want their hair cut. In times of grief, or during depressive episodes, it is a trope for women to cut their hair, especially when they cut bangs (Tiffany). Cutting hair can be a great emotional release. You can get a new look, change up your literal view of yourself, and to have some semblance of control when life feels seemingly out of control (Tiffany).
See: ‘Bangs vs Therapy’: How Bangs Became A Meme of Distress
In The Marrow Thieves, Rose and Frenchie cut their hair after Minerva’s death (212). Minerva’s death was the second death in their group and cause great emotional disruption, but the act of cutting their hair was less an impulsive act of grief and more an act of respect for Minerva. The hair that was cut and sent with Minerva’s body was a symbol for the end of what was, and a symbol for a new beginning (Stensgar).
Maybe, once all of ~ this ~ is over, we should all cut our hair and start anew.
—
Works Cited:
Dimaline, Cherie. The Marrow Thieves. Cormorant Books Inc., 2017.
Tiffany, Kaitlyn. “The Risk of ‘Getting Bangs’.” The Atlantic, 22 Jan 2020, https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2020/01/bangs-therapy-meme-breakdown-haircut-history/605341/. Accessed 10 May 2020.
Stensgar, Barbie. “The Significance of Hair In Native American Culture.” Sister Sky, 4 Jan 2019, https://sistersky.com/blogs/sister-sky/the-significance-of-hair-in-native-american-culture. Accessed 10 May 2020.