Maori women began wearing greenery as a sign of mourning, making wreaths or Taua from locally available plants like Kawakawa. Having your hair unkempt or rapa mamae was also a sign of mourning and generally an indication for grief.

Tikanga for not cutting your hair while hapu is thought that you shouldn’t cut your hair to ensure your unborn child will be able to receive your energy and strength to aid in the growth of the baby. In the salon, it’s not unusual for me to keep a clients hair for them after pregnancy, to then take home to bury. I also like the idea of not cutting your hair during a time of grief, then when the time is right to cut that part off and take it home to dispose of correctly, either by burying or burning.

Today the “top knot” has made a massive comeback. We see a lot of men and women rocking this look across all cultures. Women still practice the tradition of not cutting their hair while hapu, which has been passed down through generations of Maori. We still use bone-carved combs as adornment for special occasions and tangi, as well as the use of feathers and greenery.

I like to think that instead of a rangatira cutting your hair, it is now your hairstylist. I hope to incorporate Tikanga Māori more in my work and see it used in salons across Aotearoa.