How to Braid hair

Find out how to braid hair the same way that American Indians do.

Throughout the history of Native Americans, how to braid hair has always been a significant part of their culture. For some, braiding was simply an ornamental way to style their hair, especially for the women and children. In some Native America cultures, the men would wear braids in their hair because it had some religious meaning or they were preparing for a battle.

In some of the Native American Indian tribes, knowing how to braid hair was an essential part of their life. Wearing braids could signify the status of someone in the tribe. Sometimes, only the medicine man or chief could wear braids.  Other times, young warriors would braid their hair and adorn the plaits with feathers, beads or leather.  Still, for some tribes of Indians, only the women could have long hair, so they were the only ones who could braid. 

How to braid hair was also a big part of life for many American Indian females.  In certain tribes, single women wore two braids trailing down their back while married women wore one braid.  They became very skilled at plaiting the long strands of hair in elaborate styles, many times weaving in a variety of materials like colorful yarn, feathers, beads, leather strips and even fur.

Thanks to the Native American, how to braid hair is an important part of every little girl’s repertoire of hair styling.  The basic braid starts at the nape of the neck as if a pony tail were going to be formed.  Instead, the hair is separated into three strands and woven together in an interlocking pattern. The ends of the hair are secured with a ponytail holder or hair clip.

There are a number of variations to take into account when you learn how to braid hair.  The French braid is a popular style which takes some practice, especially if you are doing it on your own hair. Cornrows are another popular adaptation and can often be seen in the African-American cultures as well as others all around the world. No matter what type of braid it is, the style can spice up any person’s appearance.  And with the number of variations as well as adornments that can be used in conjunction with braids, the hair possibilities are endless.