The
Mohawk or
Mohican is a
hairstyleA hairstyle, hairdo, or haircut refers to a styling of head hair. The fashioning of hair can be considered an aspect of personal grooming, fashion, and cosmetics, although practical considerations also influence some hairstyles...
. In the most common variety, both sides of the head are shaved leaving a strip of noticeably longer hair in the centre. Mohawks became common in
punk subcultureThe punk subculture is a subculture based around punk rock. It includes music, ideologies, fashion, visual art, dance, literature and film. The punk scene is composed of an assortment of smaller factions that distinguish themselves from one another through unique variations...
in the early 1980s and were then adopted by Rivetheads with various other groups, becoming more diverse in style. Today, Mohawks are still associated with the punk subculture, but have also become part of mainstream fashion.
The Mohawk hairstyle is named for, and often associated with, the people of the
Mohawk nationMohawk" are an indigenous people of North America originally from the Mohawk Valley in upstate New York to southern Quebec and eastern Ontario. Their current settlements include areas around Lake Ontario and the St Lawrence River in Canada...
, an indigenous people of North America who originally inhabited the
Mohawk ValleyThe Mohawk Valley region of the U.S. state of New York is the area surrounding the Mohawk River, sandwiched between the Adirondack Mountains and Catskill Mountains....
in upstate
New YorkNew York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to southern
QuebecQuebec is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking identity and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
and eastern
OntarioOntario is a province located in east-central Canada, the largest by population and second largest, after Quebec, in total area. Ontario is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba to the west and Quebec to the east, and 5 U.S...
.
This hairstyle was also known among other peoples. For instance, the
Clonycavan ManClonycavan Man is the name given to a well-preserved Iron Age bog body found in Clonycavan, County Meath, Ireland in March 2003. He has been calculated to have been approximately 1.57 metres in height, and is remarkable for the "gel" in his hair....
, a 2000-year-old male
bog bodyBog bodies, also known as bog people, are preserved human bodies found in sphagnum bogs in Northern Europe, Great Britain and Ireland. Unlike most ancient human remains, bog bodies have retained their skin and internal organs due to the unusual conditions of the surrounding area...
discovered near
DublinDublin is the largest city and capital of Ireland. It is officially known in Irish as Baile Átha Cliath or Áth Cliath ; the English name comes from the Irish Dubh Linn meaning "black pool". It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the...
,
IrelandIreland is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islets. To the east of Ireland, separated by the Irish Sea, is the island of Great Britain...
in 2003, was found to be wearing a Mohawk styled with plant oil and pine resin.
Style and maintenance
Depending on how it is worn, the Mohawk can be a high-maintenance style. Regular, careful shaving or trimming is required to maintain a clean line between the shaven and unshaven (or short and long) portions of the hair; this can be especially complicated in bi- and tri- hawks.
If the hair is to be worn up, brushing,
backcombingBackcombing is a way of combing hair which is used to create volume as well as to create certain hairstyles. Backcombing means repeatedly combing the hair towards the scalp, causing the hair to tangle and knot up...
, blow-drying, and twisting are required, as well as the application of
spraysHair spray is a common household aqueous solution that is used to keep hair stiff or in a certain style. Stronger than hair gel, hair wax, or glue, it is sprayed to hold styles for a long period. Using a pump or aerosol spray nozzle, it sprays evenly over the hair. May leave hair feeling...
and in some cases other holding agents like white or clear
glueThis is a list of various types of glue. Historically, the term "glue" only referred to protein colloids prepared from animal flesh. The meaning has been extended to refer to any fluid adhesive....
, egg whites,
cornstarchCornstarch, or cornflour in the United Kingdom and Australia, is the starch of the corn grain. It is also grown from the endosperm of the corn kernel. It has a distinctive appearance and feel when mixed raw with water or milk, giving easily to gentle pressure but resisting sudden pressure...
, or
gelatinGelatin is a translucent, colorless, odorless, brittle, nearly tasteless solid substance, derived from the collagen inside animals' skin and bones. It is commonly used as a gelling agent in food, pharmaceuticals, photography, and cosmetic manufacturing. Substances containing gelatin or functioning...
. The amount of time required for styling may increase considerably with longer hair or complicated styles such as
liberty spikesLiberty spikes refers to a way of styling the hair in long, thick, upright spikes. The style, associated with the punk subculture, is so named because of the resemblance to the spikes on the head of the Statue of Liberty, although the style first arose in the London scene.In this style, the hair is...
(sometimes known as a libertyhawk).
Some wearers enhance the look of their Mohawks with hair dyes. This, too can require a great deal of initial effort and maintenance, especially in styles where the color(s) form an integral part of the style. In some cases, for example, Mohawk-wearers who normally wear their hair up in a fan style dye the hair in even lines or stripes of color, either horizontal or vertical.
Bihawk or double Mohawk; trihawk
Two or three Mohawks separated by one or more shaved centre lines.
Deathhawk
A Mohawk featuring voluminous teased hair common to the
deathrockDeathrock or deathpunk is a term used to identify a sub-genre of punk rock incorporating horror elements and spooky atmospherics, that emerged on the West Coast of the United States in 1979.-Characteristics:...
/
gothicThe goth subculture is a contemporary subculture found in many countries. It began in the United Kingdom during the early 1980s in the gothic rock scene, an offshoot of the post-punk genre. The goth subculture has survived much longer than others of the same era, and has continued to diversify...
subcultures.
Fauxhawk or faux-hawk
A "fake" Mohawk which approximates the style but without shaving the sides of the head. The fauxhawk is typically worn with a small but noticeable spike in the middle, though usually considerably shorter than many traditional mohawks. The style re-emerged in the late 2000s, one of the popular wearers being
David BeckhamDavid Robert Joseph Beckham,
OBE is an English footballer who currently plays in midfield for American Major League Soccer club Los Angeles Galaxy and the England national team....
. The fauxhawk is known in the
HoxtonHoxton is an area in the London Borough of Hackney, immediately north of the financial district of the City of London. The area of Hoxton is bordered by Regents Canal on the north side, Wharf Road and City Road on the west, Old Street on the south, and Kingsland Road on the east.-Origins:'Hogesdon'...
and
ShoreditchShoreditch is an area of London within the London Borough of Hackney. It is a built-up part of the inner city immediately to the north of the City of London, located east north east of Charing Cross.-Boundaries:...
districts of
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
as the "Hoxton fin.".
The ponyhawk or pony hawk is a type of fauxhawk created by a row of ponytails going down the middle of the head. This look was worn by contestant
Sanjaya MalakarSanjaya Joseph Malakar was a finalist on the sixth season of American Idol. He gained national attention on the series, controversially advancing to 7th place with public votes, despite being poorly received by the show's judges .After Idol, Malakar made many television guest appearances and has...
on an episode of the television show
American IdolAmerican Idol is a reality competition to find new solo musical talent, created by Simon Fuller. It debuted on June 11, 2002 on the Fox network, and has since become one of the most popular shows on American television...
.
Halfhawk or tophawk
A Mohawk that extends only from the forehead to the crown, on the top part of the wearer's head, rather than to the nape of the neck.
Reverse Mohawk
Rather than the strip of longer hair in the centre of the scalp, a reverse Mohawks features a shaved strip from the forehead to the nape of the neck leaving hair on either side of the line. The singer of the rock band
Alien Ant FarmAlien Ant Farm is an American alternative rock band that formed in the southern California city of Riverside in 1995. Their name comes from an idea original guitarist Terry Corso had about aliens and the earth--"I was daydreaming at my dull desk job with my feet up, and I thought to myself,...
once wore this.
Sunhawk
A Mohawk in which, rather than front to back, the unshaved hair extends over the head from side to side.
Rayhawk
A short mohawk dyed bright blue named due to the popularity of the style among
Tampa Bay RaysThe Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball franchise based in St. Petersburg, Florida, and are the defending American League champions. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League...
players, also popular with fans
History
Many U.S. Army Paratroopers wore their hair in this style during D-Day, with the intention being to intimidate the Germans.
See also
- Punk fashion
Punk fashion is the clothing, hairstyles, cosmetics, jewelry, and body modifications of the punk subculture. Punk fashion varies widely, ranging from Vivienne Westwood designs to styles modeled on bands like The Exploited. The distinct social dress of other subcultures and art movements, including...
- Devilock
The devilock is a hairstyle worn by some members of the Misfits beginning around 1979. The sides and back of the hair are kept short, while the front is kept long and combed forward. There are several variations; the most common version is worn with the front hair pinched into a spiked ponytail,...
- Mr. T
Mr. T is an American actor known for his roles as B. A. Baracus in the 1980s television series The A-Team, as boxer Clubber Lang in the 1982 film Rocky III, and for his appearances as a professional wrestler. Mr...
- Chuck Liddell
Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell is an American mixed martial artist and former Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight champion. Liddell has an extensive background in kickboxing and collegiate wrestling. He is noted within the MMA community for his exceptional takedown defense and knockout...
- Darby Crash
Darby Crash was an American punk musician who, along with long time friend Pat Smear , co-founded The Germs...
External links