Hair holds profound cultural and social significance in many communities. The way in which it is styled, treated, and maintained is imbued with meaning, denoting personal expression and aesthetic, along with–at times–acting as a sign of resistance. In many Indigenous American tribes, hair is also seen as a reflection of a person’s spiritual health–a living connection to your ancestors and the earth, and a circuit through which your essential life force flows. Taking good care of your hair is seen as a sign of self respect.

In celebration of Native American Heritage Month, we sat down with sisters Gabrielle Goodsell and Monique Lewis, owners of Oregon-based salon Rosebud Boutique Salon, to learn more about how they honor their culture behind the chair and in their work with Future Generations Collaborative–a collective impact organization dedicated to the health and wellbeing of the Urban Native community.

Here, they share their personal hair journeys, weaving together stories of ancestral knowledge, family, and the deep significance of braiding in their lives.

tell us about your personal hair journey?

Monique: My sister and I come from a family of hairdressers on our mom’s side. It’s also our non-Indian side. We grew up being told how lucky we were to have a hairstylist for a mom, but I don’t think many people knew how rarely we got our haircut! Hair has always played a big part in our lives, and has always been something sacred for me personally. Especially as I’ve gotten older, and seen how important our teachings have been for my niece and nephew. We’re Shoshone-Bannock tribal members on our dad’s side. There’s so much ceremony around hair, and to have that emphasis on both sides of our family is much more than coincidence.

how did you get to where you are today?

Gabrielle: Our parents are the most supportive people in the world. We’re so lucky to have always had them behind us 100% in whatever we do. I don’t take it for granted and want to make them, my family, and myself proud. I also have my grandparents and ancestors before–who were stolen and taken to boarding schools, not allowed to speak our language, dress or look like an Indian and endured unthinkable abuse–on my heart. I am here today despite all of the adversity they faced. Their resilience is what keeps my mind strong. 

Monique: We were always taught to support your community, family, and then self. In Native culture, everything is a circle. If you’re taking care of your community and family, someone else is always taking care of you, too. Our parents are genuinely our best, and biggest supporters. When we decided to open Rosebud together, our dad remodeled the space single handed, and mom and I drew up how we would decorate the space on a napkin. My sister is my best friend, and my role model. I informally shadowed her for the first five years of my career. Family is how I got here. 

how do you choose to honor your heritage through hair?

Gabrielle: My favorite way to celebrate our culture is by braiding my own children’s hair everyday. The three strands embody mind, body and spirit–and we set their intentions for each one of these for the day. We talk frequently about growing our hair for our ancestors. To ground our spirit. It’s important to us that we wear our culture with pride and practice it with gratitude. 

Monique: Heritage kind of implies a disconnection to your past. You either are practicing your culture, or you’re not. My aunties on my Shoshone-Bannock side have all been so vital in my relationship with my own hair. I’m really lucky to be able to say that I have a lot of Native clients. (Especially as a city Indian, and in a city where the Native population is only around 1%.) 

Every tribe and culture is different, and I can’t speak for everyone, but something that a lot have in common is that we don’t touch each other's hair. Especially people who aren’t relatives. To have Native people sit in my chair isn’t something I take lightly. To get to talk, laugh, grieve, and celebrate with other Native people is something I didn’t get to do living off the reservation. Every time I have a client who asks about the art on the walls of the salon, or I have a Native client, it heals a little piece of my inner child. 

But it also is a way I can honor my ancestors and relatives in a way that can heal and help them too. We as a people have had so much taken away, sold, stolen, and made illegal, that to still be here and able to practice the culture is huge. Every day I open the door to Rosebud is honoring my grandma, a boarding school survivor, and one of my personal heroines. Any Native success can be shared by the community–after all, they’re all my relations. 

what’s your favorite part about being a stylist?

Gabrielle: Communicating with clients, working to give them the best experience and hair results I can. Helping them set their own intentions for the day and during life events. From vacations to weddings, births or deaths, I get to be part of my client’s lives. I also love learning and being able to work with my sister–she’s a huge inspiration to me and makes work life way too much fun.

Monique:  It’s so much more than doing hair! I love bonding, braiding, and cutting hair. But to see people through major life events, to support and cheer clients on—isn’t talked about enough. 

and what are the challenges?

Gabrielle:  Finding enough time in the day to balance education, social media, clients,, kiddos, husband and self-care–but I wouldn’t change a thing. 

Monique: Communication. Learning the art of having a conversation, having the hard conversations. But those become fewer and fewer as time goes on. 

tell us about Future Generations Collaborative and your connection to it?

Gabrielle: This organization speaks to me individually and us as a family. Rosebud Boutique Salon was named after our favorite Uncle Bud, whose nickname was Rosebud. He was kind-hearted, open-minded, free-spirited, and occasionally houseless. This non-profit focuses on Indigenous houseless parents with small families, working to give them a temporary landing spot and long term solutions. 

Monique: I have several clients that work for or run Native nonprofits, including Seeding Justice, NAYA Family Center, and of course Future Generations Collaborative. FGC is working on many different community projects, but one that speaks to us as a family specifically is Barbie’s Village. To quote their website, Barbie’s Village is ‘a tiny, tiny home village for houseless Native parents with small children.’

who or what inspires you both in the salon and out?

Gabrielle:  I love following native artists who tattoo, make clothing, or do make up and beading. Nature is also a huge inspiration for texture and color–as well as a nice reset when called for.

Monique:  Visiting family in Fort Hall (our reservation) during festivals. The fashion, regalia, makeup, hair, and art always leave me really inspired. I also love Korean dramas, and K-pop, so Korean fashion and culture are big inspirations, too. 

what are your top hair and braid tips?Gabrielle: Healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp. Don’t forget to detox every now and again. Doing so will allow your hair regimen to do its job. Find yourself a hair mask that will make your hair happy and always use heat protectant. If you’re wanting your braids to stay and remain frizz free I recommend using a mousse on damp hair. If you’d like more of a romantic style, try using a dry texture spray. Don’t play with your hair too much. Pin, clip or tie and blouse accordingly.

Monique: Don’t over complicate it, practice makes perfect–and sometimes good enough, really is good enough. If you have fine hair, use a dry, texture hair spray to get a little bit more grit and grip to boss your hair and braids around. I like to spray it in the hair before I braid, and this helps to get better grip, but helps with boho style braids, too. Curly hair: using a foam or mousse on damp hair helps keep all the little flyaways from popping out. This is a great tip for basic French braids.