Tag: koko

by Kumu Hula Leilehua Yuen
feature photo by Kenji Kuroshima

People often ask hula dancers how they care for their exceptionally long hair. I can’t speak for all hula dancers, but I am glad to share my routine. I have had long hair almost my entire life.

When I was five years old, I had not brushed it properly, so my maternal grandmother took me to her barber and had it cut off. I cried for weeks! When I was 17, I was angry with my father, and cut it off. I cried for weeks. For most of my adult life, my hair has been hip length or longer.

Different ʻohana (families) may have different specific traditions, but these are fairly typical:

Hawaiian hair traditions

• We never touch someone else’s hair unless they are a close relative and we have permission.
• When combing out our hair, we do not throw away the tangles. They are kept in a safe place, and (depending on the specific family’s traditions) burned or taken to a special place for proper disposal.
• Hair is trimmed only on the full moon. The trimmings are immediately disposed of. The saved tangles can be added to the trimmed hair for proper disposal.
• We do not share things that are used on the hair or head.
• We wash our hair. A lot. Hair is kept scrupulously clean, washing almost every day.

Hair Ornamentation

Probably the most famous way hula dancers ornament their hair is with the lei poʻo (pronounced leh-ee poh-oh) – the lei that is worn on the head.

Hair Vocabulary

garland – lei
garland for head – lei poʻo
hair (head) – lauoho
coarse hair – lauoho ʻoʻoleʻa
wavy hair – piʻipiʻi lau nui, lauoho pipiʻi
kinky hair – lauoho piʻipiʻi Pukikī
straight hair – lauoho kālole
long hair – lauoho loloa
short hair – lauoho pōkole
hair ornament (such as a floral decoration worn in the hair) – wehi, wewehi, kāhiko
hair pin – kui lauoho
hat – pāpale
garland for hat – lei pāpale

Care for Long Hair

Hair is heavy. Long hair is really heavy. If it is not cared for properly, it will break off under its own weight. Hair grows an average of about half an inch per month, so in a year, most people will grow about six inches of new hair.

For me, that means, at its ends, my hair is about eight years old. Imagine wearing a silk blouse every single day for eight years. It would get pretty worn and tattered. Care for long hair tries to prevent that wear and damage.

Very damaged hair can be trimmed off to give a cleaner, more tidy look to the ends. Today, we generally use a sharp pair of scissors. In ancient times, hair might be styled by trimming with a sharp shell, or singing with a small flame, such as from a burning twig.

Healthy looking hair starts on the inside

Hair is dead. So, it can’t BE healthy. It can only LOOK healthy and BE cared for. However, hair is also an indicator of general health. Healthy people generally have glossy, flexible, vibrant hair. Ill people may have hair that looks dry, dull, and is brittle. So, keeping your body as healthy as possible will help you grow healthy looking hair!

To have hair that looks healthy, one must start on the inside. Drink lots of clean, pure water. Eat good, healthful foods. Keep the body clean through regular elimination.

• Essential fatty acids, especially omega-3s
• B Vitamins: B6, B12, folic acid
• Protein
• Trace minerals such as: iron, magnesium, zinc, biotin

Hair is made of a protein called keratin. Keratin is strong, tough, and flexible. Our fingernails and toenails also made from a slightly different kind of keratin. To properly make sufficient keratin to grow healthy looking hair, we need to eat a wide variety of foods to provide essential fatty acids, B vitamins, protein, and trace minerals. To utilize these things, we need lots of clean, fresh water.

Each hair grows from a follicle in the skin. The hair follicle is formed by the base of the hair bulb, where living cells divide and grow to build the hair shaft. These cells are nourished by blood vessels, and deliver the hormones that modify hair growth and structure throughout our lives. Some of the cells provide color, in the form of melanin. To do all this, they need proper nutrition.

Hair grows in phases:

• Anagen (growth phase): Each hair spends most of its life in the anagen phase, which generally lasts several years.
• Catagen (transitional phase): In this phase, which takes a few weeks, hair slows its growth and the follicle shrinks.
• Telogen (resting phase): Over some months, hair growth finally stops and the old hair detaches from the follicle. A new hair begins the growth phase, and pushes the old hair out.

As we age, pigment cells die, and hair turns gray.

So, again, good nutrition is the foundation of good hair.

Exercise

All that nutrition won’t help if it does not reach the cells that make the hair. Exercise circulates and oxygenates the blood, allowing more nutrients to reach the cells making up the hair follicles. Healthy cells do their job better, giving you lovely hula hair!

Scalp massage

Scalp massage is a critical part of hair care for many hula dancers. No only does it feel good and help one relax, but we believe it stimulates the blood supply to the scalp, bringing more fresh nutrients to the follicles. It also helps to spread your natural hair oils, which are the best for your own hair, along the hair shaft.

Protecting the outside

Hair has a layer called the cuticle, which is formed of little tiny scales that strengthen and protect the hair shaft. When hair gets old or dry, these scales lift and curl, causing hair to tangle, and making hair brittle and dead looking. Keeping these scales flexible, flat, and smooth are critical to healthy looking hair.

Coconut oil is my go-to moisturizer for skin and hair. Just put a little bit in the palm of the hand. Rub hands together to melt it onto your fingers and palms. Comb your fingers through your hair. Add just a dab more oil to your palms, and work it into the ends of the hair.

Bunches more expensive than organic, unfiltered coconut oil, but I love, love the Malie Kōkeʻe Beauty Oil (it smells fantastic!). I use it on special occasions. I really like Carrington coconut oil, and it comes in several sizes.

When my hair will be more exposed to the environment, or I will be working in an area where it might be snagged or some such, I use that as an opportunity to give it a good deep conditioning. If I have not just washed my hair, I will dampen it. Then, avoiding the inch nearest the scalp, I saturate the hair with hair conditioner I have thinned to the consistency of cream. Starting at the tips, I comb it out, braid it, and pin it up. Then I wrap it in a scarf or bandana. It can stay that way all day, or even a couple of days.

When unbraided, it will be soft, wavy, and shiny.

Cleanliness is next to awesomeness

Dirt and old care products can build up on hair, leaving it tacky, dull, and dead looking. Without all that gunk, clean hair reflects more light, giving a vibrant, healthy appearance. I wash my hair almost every day.

But, remember the silk blouse analogue? If I washed a silk blouse every single day for eight years, It would certainly wear it out! So, how to be gentle, but squeaky clean at the same time?

I simply scrub my scalp (taking advantage of the opportunity to give myself a good scalp massage), and let the shower-diluted shampoo run through the rest of my hair. I do not rub or pull the hair. When it is thoroughly drenched with shampoo, I gently pick it up and rinse it under the shower. There is no need to rub or scrub. The shampoo and flowing water will carry away any dirt.

I like to change around my shampoo and conditioner, trying new products, or just suiting my mood. Here are some favorites:

When thoroughly clean, I then wrap my hair in a towel and gently squeeze out as much water as I can. Never, ever rub the hair with a a towel. It lifts the scales of the cuticle, weakening and damaging the hair.

Next, I condition my hair – just a little dab of conditioner near my head, and a whole handful from my shoulders down. Using a broad-toothed comb, I comb the conditioner through my hair. I like to stand in the drippings, as hair conditioner is actually one of the very best lotions you can use on your feet!

I never use a brush on my hair, as the brush bristles tangle it, and leave it abraded and fuzzy. For over 40 years, I have only used a heavy wide-toothed comb! My very favorite was a bamboo comb I bought in China back in the 1990s, but I can no longer get that style.

After that, I either let it hang loose, or I put it in a braid. If it might be subjected to abuse, as when I am doing heavy yard work, then I will pin it up, add more conditioner, and cover it in a scarf.

Dying Hair

Sometimes we want to change our hair color – to cover gray, for a fresh look, or any number of reasons. Going to a stylist can be expensive, so a lot of people opt for the “box color” available at just about any drug or grocery store, and color their hair at home.

A few tips to make it easier:

1. Start a bit lighter than you think you want. You can always go darker.
2. If you do get too dark, don’t panic. Most home-dye kits will lighten up after a few washings.
3. Start with simple methods and techniques. As you master them, go for greater challenges, but build your skills from the basics up!
4. Check out beauty blogs for the most up-to-date information. I like the tips in the following pages best:

True Insider: How to dye your hair at home

Money Crashers: How to dye your hair at home

Glamor: How to dye your hair at home

So, that is pretty much it! Please enjoy, and if you want to join the discussion, come on over to Quora!

Essays on Hawaiian hair:

Hawaiian Hair is Thick as Blood

Hawaiian Hairstyles

Keep Your Eyes on the Hair

Videos on Polynesian Hair