Here is the story I wrote I called *As-it began*…

Here is the story I wrote I called *As-it began*... with the help of a friendly hair spirit named Louise Marie Longhairs..." A Story Written for Louise Marie.. From the beginning, when we were all given life through the first man and woman. Every part of our body was to serve a purpose, the womb to give birth, the eyes to see, the legs and feet to walk. Some things that may seem to just be there and do nothing really do serve a purpose. Take my hair for example, I know that I have it, and I know I have to keep it clean but why is it exactly there? It doesn't speak. Or does it? It does, because when another one sees you they look at the many things...your eyes, your skin and on down to your feet. But your crown, in these days of no real kings and queens, is your hair. It's there to be beautiful. Not everyone has beautiful hair either, most people have to work hard at it. And we Anishinabe people were given by our creator Gitche-Manitou good hair. So I think it's a shame that in assimilating into the larger culture around us we lost our beautiful hair. We enter salon and barbers and sheer away part of the beauty that was given to us long before clippers and scissors ever existed. In this world of culture vultures, treaty rights, land and water fights and the right to sell tax free cigarettes we easily lose sight of the fact that we are cutting away one of the greatest gifts given to us, our hair. What was the first thing taken away from my parents and grand parents by all the priests, missionaries, social workers and boarding school teachers on the road to civilization and de-indianization. HAIR. Chop, snip, clip and cut. There goes pride, spirit and joy right down the drain. They knew it and so do I. Having said all this , I try to honour in a small way the first of my people by keeping my hair like theirs and hope along with looking like theirs it contains some of the soul they had also. But, not without the help of a friendly hair spirit named Louise Marie Longhairs, anyhow. : ) This is the official story of the day and it belongs to you now Louise Marie." (N member A, from T Is)