Some hair-raising stories will be told at the University of Regina on Wednesday night.
The event, called “Boys with Braids” is a gathering to share teachings about the sacredness of hair and to foster a sense of pride for aboriginal boys who choose to grow their hair long.
One of the speakers is Joseph Naytowhow. He is an Elder in residence at the University of Regina, and is also a member of the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation. Naytowhow proudly wears his greying hair in a braid. Naytowhow is a gifted actor, storyteller, musician and singer.
It wasn’t until he was in his 20s that he began to grow his hair out. He says it helped him reconnect to who he was, and helped to heal the wounds of the past. He was one of thousands of aboriginal children who ended up in residential school where a short haircut was mandatory.
“Pretty much, sometimes, they just put a bowl over your head and cut around the circle,” he said.
His son also wore a braid, for a while. Naytowhow says when his boy was 11, he wanted to cut it off.
“There were times when he was on his bike and kids would be yelling at him,” he said. “They yelled at him about his long hair, you know, sometimes calling him a savage or other derogatory names.”
It was that kind of taunting and teasing that pushed Saskatoon father Michael Linklater to organize “Boys with Braids” and hold educational sessions around the country. The sessions inform and educate both aboriginal and non-aboriginal participants about the cultural significance of braids. Last week’s event in Winnipeg was a big success, attracting national media attention.
Wednesday’s gathering will be held at the University of Regina’s education building at 6 p.m.