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History should never forget this. For many Indigenous nations, long hair is not a fashion statement; it is a sacred extension of the self, worn as a symbol of spiritual strength, lineage, and tribal identity. It is often cut only during times of deep family mourning. When federal boarding schools forced thousands of young children into these institutions, the very first action taken was the immediate, violent shearing of their hair. This was a deliberate psychological tactic designed to induce shock, erase identity, and signal absolute submission to the state. Survivors carried this pain for the rest of their lives, remembering the terrifying sound of the shears and the sight of their culture scattered on the floor. It was a battlefield for the soul of a child. Have you ever been told about this chapter of history?