When you see old pictures of Native American ancestors, their hair was always long and lustrous, with not too many of the older people having gray hair. As a people, Native American ancestors saw their hair as a part of their identity. It was an embodiment of how they lived, just like everything that surrounded them. They gave respect to everything in nature.
According to tradition, the Navajo tribe would cut the hair of their children on their first birthday, after which it would be left to grow untouched for the rest of their lives. Since there was so much spiritual value placed on their hair, they would only cut it during times of mourning or life-changing events. To maintain their long, thick hair and to encourage vigorous growth, wild herbs were harvested and used in infusions, oils and ointments to soothe scalp wounds or irritations, to strengthen and add brilliance to the hair shaft and to prevent thinning.
Stinging Nettle (Urtica Diocia) has been found to have properties that stop testosterone from being converted into DHT; this is the hormone which is responsible for hair loss in many men and some women. This plant grows wild and in abundance in America. Since it grows in the wild, the Native Americans would just hand pick it, and infuse it into oils to moisturize their hair. The fresh leaves can be submersed in olive oil in a glass jar. Seal and place in a cool, dark spot for 2 to 3 weeks. Apply the oil in an invigorating scalp massage.
Rosemary helps to promote hair growth by stimulating blood circulation in your scalp thus allowing the hair follicles to breathe and function well. Rosemary has also been known to reduce early graying. A refreshing daily rinse of rosemary leaves simmered in water retains hair color. The rinse is most effective on dark hair. A few drops of rosemary oil can be added to olive oil and used as a scalp massage oil.
Burdock (Arctium Lappa) root oil, also known as Bur oil is one of the most important herbs used to restore hair. Burdock promotes healthy hair by relieving scalp irritations and improving blood circulation to the hair follicle. Burdock root oil supplies natural phytosterols and important essential fatty acids to hair roots, and has been traditionally used to reduce and reverse hair thinning.
Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens) has properties that suppress the hormone that causes baldness, so taking it orally and as a topical application is one of the ways the Native Americans hair was kept so beautiful. The fruit Saw Palmetto is a scarlet red berry; they would dry it in the sun for days then grind it and infuse it into tinctures, teas and ointments which were applied to their hair to help strengthen it and also prevent dandruff.
The yucca plant was used by several Native American tribes to encourage hair growth and to prevent baldness. The roots of young yucca plants were used for shampoo. The crushed roots were soaked in water to make a hair wash. Other methods involved peeling the bark of the root, which was rubbed in a pan of shallow water to make suds to rub into the hair and scalp. Yucca was also used as a hair wash for newborns by the Zuni Indians to help their hair grow healthy and strong.
Yarrow can be used for fragrant hair. Native Americans used an infusion of the leaves from this strong-scented perennial plant as a hair wash. The Okanagan Indians of British Columbia mixed the leaves and stems with white clematis (a perennial with bright yellow flowers) and witch’s broom branches to make a shampoo.
Sweetgrass is a flat-leafed bladed grass it is considered sacred by the native Americans. Some Native American women decorated their hair with sweetgrass. A tea made from sweetgrass can be used as a hair tonic to make the hair shiny and fragrant.
Wild Mint is so strong you can smell it long before you can see it. The Cheyenne Indians in Montana used a decoction of the wild mint plant as hair oil. The Thompson Indians of British Columbia used the whole plant soaked in warm water to make a solution that was used in hair dressing.
We thank the Native Americans for showing us that we too can have longer, thicker and more beautiful hair.
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The Refreshing Point
Traditional Methods Used By The Native Americans for Long, Thick and More Beautiful Hair