A Native American teenager has set a Guinness World Record for the longest hair on a male teenager, proudly representing his Lakota tribe.
Reuben Looks Twice Jr., 17, has been growing his hair since he was 2 years old. Initially, his parents let it grow because he was afraid of hair clippers. Now, he enjoys having long hair and has no plans to cut it, according to KOTA.
“I think it all started when my parents told me not to cut my hair. I saw a lot of people liked it; they’d say, ‘I like your hair’ or ‘Your hair is very long,’” he said.
Recently, Looks Twice Jr. was named the Guinness World Record holder for the longest hair on a male teenager. His hair measures 5 feet and 3.3 inches. He usually wears it in a long braid, Guinness reports. Washing his hair takes about 20 minutes, drying it takes an hour, and it takes 10 more minutes to untangle, brush, and braid it.
The 17-year-old is proud to represent the Lakota tribe and hopes his world record makes his family and tribe proud.
“It’s not every day you can call yourself a Guinness World Record holder. It brings a lot of pride to me and, I’m sure, to our home reservation, which is the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation,” said his father, Reuben Looks Twice Sr.
Looks Twice Sr. explained that in Lakota tradition, hair represents strength and a connection to ancestors.
“Lakota tradition says when you grow your hair out and put it in knots and braids, each one of these knots represents a family member. When you wear it, it gives you strength in whatever you do in life or wherever you go,” he said.
He also mentioned that long hair is a significant part of his son’s identity.
“It’s part of his identity; it’s who he is, with long hair and stuff like that. So, they’ll see his last name and his long hair, and they’ll say, ‘Oh, that boy is Native American’ or ‘that boy is Lakota,’” he added.
Looks Twice Jr. told Guinness he likes that his hair has inspired others to grow their own. The only downside, he says, is when it gets stuck in car doors or on shower knobs.