Keegan Thomas cutting a person's hair. (Submitted/Keegan Thomas)

By Jaryn Vecchio

Indigenous Culture

Indigenous barber honouring his culture by cutting hair

Mar 2, 2023 | 2:09 PM

A former Prince Albert resident is celebrating his Indigenous culture through his new career.

Keegan Thomas recently graduated from Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s Hairstylist diploma program in P.A. and found a job with King Cut Barbershop in Saskatoon.

His interest in cutting hair sparked when his kokum (grandmother) gave him a pair of clippers when he was seven years old.

“It was kind of a liking already because my mom would always be cutting the family’s hair, whether it be my uncle’s, grandpa’s, or mine,” said Thomas.

His love also grew thanks to his grandfather who told him that looking good and feeling good are some of the best feelings a person can get.

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The cutting of hair is very symbolic in Indigenous culture. Many see their hair as a connection to their ancestors, the Earth, and the Creator.

For Thomas, he sees it as a new start.

“It’s traditional and spiritual when you cut it off because it holds back a lot of old memories and whatnot,” he said.

Keegan Thomas cutting a person’s hair. (Submitted/Keegan Thomas)

Thomas didn’t always think he’d be cutting people’s hair for a living. He originally had plans to study kinesiology, but his friends pushed him to follow his interest instead.

“They said to choose something I’d enjoy in the long run.”

Despite working in Saskatoon, Thomas has a large clientele of Indigenous people from the Prince Albert area. He explained they’ll drive multiple hours because they trust his work, but more importantly respect him and his craft.

“They respect me, they come to me for a reason, and it’s a good feeling to get.”

He’s also seen interest in Indigenous youth to follow in his footsteps. He joked his conversations with many kids and teenagers are just them asking questions about his job.

“They always ask me what it’s like being a barber as they wouldn’t actually mind taking some classes on it.”

Whether they choose to work in his field or they just want to learn how to cut hair, Thomas noted he’s happy to see more kids take an interest in something that has a very deep meaning in their culture.

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Jaryn.Vecchio@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow