Where did the mohawk hairstyle stand for?

Answer 1

Contrary to modern popular misconception, Mohawk warriors did not use the "roach" hairstyle. This idea was generated by early Hollywood film adaptations of "Hawkeye" and other stories, at a time when nobody was interested in historical accuracy and simply made natives look like cartoon "Indians". Such is the power of Hollywood images that the false idea of the central hair strip has become "fact" and the term became associated with a particular "punk rock" fashion.

It is significant that in the 1950s and 1960s in Britain the same kind of hairstyle was always termed "a Mohican" - another tribe who did not use the roach but generally wore their hair long. The same kind of ignorance and reliance on fantasy images led to this name.

Real Mohawk warriors had a wide range of hairstyles including long hair worn loose; half-shaved heads (bald on one side and long and loose on the other); the head completely shaved except for a scalp-lock at the crown (a round area left unshaved and the remaining long hair woven into a long plait and decorated with feathers and beads) and many more.

The Mohawks themselves are the best source of information on their own history; they know exactly what type of hairstyles were traditionally worn by their own ancestors.

The link below takes you to an image published by the Five Nations Council depicting Mohawks in traditional dress.

The second link takes you to a painting of Sagayeathquapiethton, a Mohawk chief, which was painted in 1710 and captures his long hairstyle accurately. The bear seen behind is the tribal sign for the Mohawks.

Roach hairstyles were certainly worn by some Algonquian warriors in the eastern Woodlands such as the Eries and Delawares - but definitely not by the Mohawks.