My Powerful Hair by Carole Lindstrom

A young girl cannot wait for her hair to grow. Her mother and grandmother (Nokomis) weren't allowed to have long hair. It was cut at the school they attended. But for a young girl letting her hair grow is important.

The stories and memories of the day Nimishoomis taught her to fish for the first time, were woven into her hair which reached her ears. The birth of her baby brother happened when her hair touched her shoulders. Welcoming him was woven into her hair. Learning how to make moccasins from her cousins is woven into her hair that now fell past her shoulders. 

At the Pow Wow, the girl's hair, down to the middle of her back, was braided by her Auntie Delia. Her aunt's teaching and prayers from that day are woven into her hair. When Nimishoomis passed away, the girl cut her hair so that he would have her "energies".

Discussion

In the exquisite picture book, My Powerful Hair, the significance of hair to Indigenous peoples is explained.  Author Carole Lindstrom, who "...is Anishinaabe/Metis and an enrolled citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe," explains what hair means to her people. 

Lindstrom was not allowed to grow her hair long when she was growing up. Her mother also did not have long hair, even though she had beautiful, thick black hair. Lindstrom learned that this extended back another generation to her grandmother and great-aunts who also had "...shorn black hair above their ears." This was a product of their forced attendance at Indian boarding schools in the early 1900's. At the boarding school, Lindstrom's grandmother was taught that long hair was "...a sign of 'wildness' and 'savageness'." It's a peculiar view, since at this time most European women had long hair, which was often pinned up. 

To avoid being viewed in this way, Lindstrom's grandmother, mother and herself all wore their hair short. When she learned of this, Lindstrom decided to grow her hair long, as a way of reclaiming her identity and culture. In her Author's Note at the back, Lindstrom explains the generational impact the Indian boarding school had on her own family.

In My Powerful Hair, Indigenous artist Steph Littlebird's  vivid illustrations capture the essence of what hair means to Indigenous peoples. Hair is believed to be a source of strength and holds memories. It is grown long to be close to Mother Earth. Hair is considered a celebration of life, carrying power. Having hair braided by a loved one reinforces the relationship. For Indigenous peoples, stories, memories, culture and connections to one another are woven through hair. The richly coloured illustrations done in Procreate, reinforce this beautiful message of the importance of hair in Indigenous culture.

Book Details:

My Powerful Hair by Carole Lindstrom
New York:  Abrams Books for Young Readers   2023