Our native culture have great wisdom. They know of living in harmony with nature and have learned to value their secrets and use them for the benefit of all. Some see them as ephemeral without realizing that without them it is impossible for the future.

The importance of Native American hair.

The sun and the moon were the most important and original among other deities of the peoples and tribes of the American continent before the time of the conquest gods.

The Inca culture tells the story of the sun and the moon who have long hair. For that reason their rays spread strongly throughout the universe. Rays having the same strenght of the roots of trees and plants, and therefore the long hair of the Quechua Runas, symbolizes the strenght of the rays of the sun, the moon, the stars, and the force of roots of trees and plants. And if one day was to annihilate the rays of the sun and moon, the universe would live in silence and darkness. The land would dry up and die.
If the Quechuas lose the vitality of their hair or mutilate, it would be in solitude. The sun and the moon would cease to shine in the heart, the energy of trees, plants, and nature, would cease to feed their spirits and live consumed by bitterness and solitude.

Hair is the physical manifestation of our thoughts and an extension of ourselves; the same is true with thoughts of Mother Earth. We can see the constant growth of hair grass; since ancient times it was used by indigenous people for medicinal purposes and physical healing rituals they considered sacred.
Our is the natural extension of our thoughts, gives us direction throughout our lives; each of our hair-styles represents ourselves, and forms strong points of connection both of our body and our spirit as indigenous people. In all people of the Earth there are stories or legends where the hair plays a crucial role in the fate of the prtagonists. Men and women of wisdom have taken long hair. Just as the Great Spirit Creator or God the Creator and mythological beings os indigenous peoples who came from heaven bringing Earth’s Children teachings, they have long hair has been mandatory and this, together with other factors culminated in the spiritual and physical defeat of the people.
Hair and ethnicity in the Canton Otavalo are very important and identity for most men and women who let their hair grow from birth. It i svery important for them to maintain a long and beautiful hair in personal appearance, especially in terms of beauty and sexual allure. The hair that grows long, thick and straight points to good health, strength, and means female fertility and virility.
The preference of Quechua women is that indigenous men wear their hair long, as part of the identification of ethnicity. They appreciate the beauty of their long hair which is braided.

Braids in men’s hair are traditional, paying respect to their ancestors, race and culture which is the Native Indian ambassador.

Hair represents thoughts and the spiritual state of the individual; showing the links and the spiritual unity of his family, defining cultural harmony and spiritual alignment of their comunity. Long hair is considered as a symbol of identity that has a powerful role includes and gives a sense of belonging to the individual to the social group.
It is importance in Inca Quechua data from the history of their ancestors or grandparents in previous years is a tradition that take a long time, and this is a symbol of indigenous wearing long hair with pride. They recognize it as part of your body, very important in identifying demonstrating to society that are indigenous originals that have their own culture and their roots.

The hairstyle is a mutual task. Husbands and wifes, parents and childrens comb each other. Combing is considered one of the greatest luxuries and not, indication of laziness lack of seriousness. It is a sign of good or bad relations between members of family, which can depend on who is combing whom.

To be continued………