The first few months of school with a new class and new teacher can be hard for any child, but for one Cree family with four boys who wear their long hair in braids to honour their heritage, unwanted attention and questions are inevitable.

Azure, their mother, said they are fairly used to this at the start of a school year, and her boys are resilient. Black Press Media has honoured the family乌鸦传媒檚 request to not publish their last name to protect their identity.

She became more than a little concerned, however, when her five-year-old, Adam, came home from school in south Edmonton with his hair undone 乌鸦传媒� for the second time that year. He was upset and crying.

Azure and three of the four boys, including Adam, are members of Samson Cree Nation in Maskwacis.

She braids her son乌鸦传媒檚 hair tightly each morning. The elastics are tight and shouldn乌鸦传媒檛 come out on their own. That day was picture day at school, so she乌鸦传媒檇 even added extra hairspray.

Adam said the elastic had been pulled out by another child at school.

乌鸦传媒淚n the moment, when it happens 乌鸦传媒� you乌鸦传媒檙e hurt, you乌鸦传媒檙e frustrated,乌鸦传媒� said Azure. Children shouldn乌鸦传媒檛 think it乌鸦传媒檚 okay to touch his hair, she added, never mind pulling out his braid.

She made an eloquent post to a community Facebook page in Ponoka about how kids call her son a girl and pull out his braids. But he is 乌鸦传媒渁 boy with a braid乌鸦传媒� and he is proud of them, she said.

乌鸦传媒淭here is no reason why he should come home ashamed of his hair; but today he did. It hurts,乌鸦传媒� she wrote. 乌鸦传媒淓very day we will push through this and every day he will walk through those doors at school with pride because he is a boy with a braid.乌鸦传媒�

READ MORE:

She said she spoke out not to point fingers, but to start a discussion. She has since received dozens of messages, from people as close as neighbouring communities and as and far as Oklahoma, Kansas and Hawaii, who want to share their own painful experiences and thank her for posting.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 powerful, very powerful.乌鸦传媒�

One story was particularly difficult to hear, she said. A young adult in their 20s involved in sports asked their mother to cut their hair, deciding they couldn乌鸦传媒檛 take the taunting any longer.

乌鸦传媒淭hat was a really tough story to hear. I can乌鸦传媒檛 imagine having to do that.乌鸦传媒�

Another reason her boys keep their hair long is to honour what she and her mother endured at residential schools.

She said it isn乌鸦传媒檛 about the past, though.

乌鸦传媒淲e want to renew relationships with everyone and move forward,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淭his incident 乌鸦传媒� it is starting a conversation. That is reconciliation for us.乌鸦传媒�

ALSO READ:

School officials were quick to address the issue when she contacted them, she added.

In a statement to Black Press Media, the Edmonton Public School Board said staff want to ensure schools are safe places where students are valued and treated with respect.

乌鸦传媒淪chools are expected to provide opportunities for all students to become knowledgeable about Indigenous values and culture and to demonstrate respect and recognition of First Nations, M茅tis and Inuit values and cultures,乌鸦传媒� the statement said.

Like us on and follow us on