THE POWER OF HAIR - Part One (Native American Story)

Rick Mora - Native American ... (photo:http://rickmora.com/store)

The religious meaning of hair dates back before the Bible as a symbol of faith, truth and higher mind. 

 

Native American Indians were known for their long, thick, straight and shiny black hair and bronze skin. They were brave warriors who have lived in nature and with nature and worshipped their environment. They were honest, naive and unaccustomed to the insidious nature of the white man from the old continent and therefore had almost been wiped from the face of the earth.

Immigrants from Europe have declared American Indians savages. Realizing quickly that a new continent abounds in wealth they began to systematically kill the Indians. By the end of the 19^th century, white people have successfully destroyed by murder and disease, of which smallpox proved deadliest, between 12 and 15 million Indians. It is estimated that so many Indians lived on the territory of the United States at the time of Columbus.

After countless massacres, the Indians were shamefully thrown into small and poor reservations. People, who have lived free as birds, inhabited this continent since the Stone Age and have developed their religion, rituals and customs all of the sudden found themselves crowded into small reservations, deprived of their rights, rejected and ridiculed. But even that was not enough. Indian children were taken away from their parents and sent to boarding schools where they were forced to take Christian names, forced to learn a new language and to neglect their native language, they were forced to neglect their customs and culture, forced to abandon their Indian clothes and wear Western clothes, and what is even worst … they were forced to cut their hair. The American government, public schools and prisons have all forced Indian men to cut their hair despite their religious beliefs.

For Native Americans, long hair represents a strong spirit. They believe the longer the hair the stronger the spirit. Not everyone is allowed to touch their hair. Men of some tribes used to cut their hair only for mourning for the death of a close relative which meant that a mourner's spirit was desolated by the loss of a loved one. When they cut their hair in the past they had to dispose of it ceremoniously... they put their hair that was cut off in a river. Since they are a part of the earth they always put themselves back into the earth.

 

It is unbelievable that even today in some places in the U.S.A. Native American men and boys are not allowed to wear their long hair in school or at work because it is against the institutional dress code. 

... actor, model ... (photo: Carlos Reynosa)

... photographer,producer and humanitarian (photo:http://rickmora.com/store)

JOHNNY CASH - Drums (A Native American Tribute)

From the Indian reservation to the governmental school
Well they're goin' to educate me to the white men's Golden Rule
And I'm learning very quickly for I've learned to be ashamed
And I come when they call Billy though I've got an Indian name

And there are drums beyond the mountain Indian drums that you can't hear
There are drums beyond the mountain and they're getting mighty near

And when they think that they'd changed me cut my hair to meet their needs
Will they think I'm white or Indian quarter blood or just half breed
Let me tell you Mr teacher when you say you'll make me right
In five hundred years of fighting not one Indian turned white

And there are drums beyond the mountain Indian drums that you can't hear
There are drums beyond the mountain and they're getting mighty near

Well you thought that I knew nothing when you brought me here to school
Just another empty Indian just America's first fool
But now I can tell you stories that are burnt and dried and old
But in the shadow of their telling walks the thunder proud and bold

And there are drums beyond the mountain Indian drums that you can't hear
There are drums beyond the mountain and they're getting mighty near

Long Pine and Sequoia Handsome Lake and Sitting Bull
there's Magnus Colorado with his sleeves so red and full
Crazy Horse the legend those who bit off Custer's soul
They are dead yet they are living with the great Geronimo

And there are drums beyond the mountain Indian drums that you can't hear
There are drums beyond the mountain and they're getting mighty near

Well you may teach me this land's hist'ry but we taught it to you first
We broke your hearts and bent your journeys broken treaties left us cursed
Even now you have to cheat us even though you think us tame
In our losing we found proudness in your winning you found shame

And there are drums beyond the mountain Indian drums that you can't hear
There are drums beyond the mountain and they're getting mighty near

New Chest - Piegan

Wisham man