Meaning ❉ Indigenous Hair Suppression describes the historical and ongoing systemic efforts to diminish, control, or erase the natural textures, styles, and care practices specific to indigenous peoples, including those with Black and mixed heritage hair. These actions often sought to enforce conformity, disrupting established community knowledge concerning hair growth patterns and unique structural characteristics. Such suppression hindered the development and preservation of culturally aligned hair care systematization, where ancestral methods for maintaining scalp health and strand vitality were sidelined. For individuals with Black and mixed-race hair, this historical pressure created a lasting disconnect from understanding their hair’s inherent qualities and optimal practical application of care principles. Understanding this context allows for a clearer path toward affirming natural hair, supporting informed approaches to routines, and reclaiming methods that truly serve hair’s authentic state.
