A Native American teenager, Reuben Looks Twice Jr, recently earned the title of the teen with the world's longest hair, a feat that fills him with pride as he represents his tribe and family on a global stage.
Reuben, a member of the Lakota Nation, expressed his joy in an interview with the Guinness World Records, which recognized his achievement on June 7 after his hair measured an impressive 161 cm (5 ft 3.3 in). "Culturally, Lakota people have long hair," the 17-year-old explained. Using the Lakota word for "spirit," he added, "It's part of our Nagi. It's who I am. I feel proud to represent my family and the Lakota Nation."
Reuben shared that his journey to the record began when he was two years old. Growing up in Rapid City, South Dakota, his parents allowed him to skip haircuts because he was scared of clippers. As he grew older, he continued to grow his hair in honor of Lakota tradition, which, like many Indigenous American cultures, views hair as a sacred symbol of connection to one's soul, family, and community.
Reuben typically wears his hair in a long braid, maintaining it with a meticulous routine. He washes it every morning for 20 minutes with shampoo and conditioner, then spends an hour drying it before another 10 minutes untangling, brushing, and re-braiding it.
To secure the world record, Reuben visited a hair salon where his hair was unbraided, washed, and brushed out. The salon then measured his hair three times, and the average of these measurements confirmed his record.
Reuben's hair surpassed the previous record held by India's Sidakdeep Singh Chahal, whose hair was measured at 146 cm (4 ft 9.5 in) in 2023.
Despite the challenges of having such long hair, such as getting it stuck in car doors or caught on shower knobs, Reuben plans to keep growing it. Not only does he want to make his family and tribe proud, but upon turning 18, he hopes to qualify for the Guinness record for the man with the longest hair in the world, a title that is currently vacant.
Reuben Looks Twice Jr. has been awarded the record title for having the longest hair on a teenager (male).
— Guinness World Records (@GWR) July 19, 2024
His hair was measured at a length of 161 cm (5 ft 3.3 in).
“Culturally, Lakota people have long hair. It’s part of our Nagi (spirit). It’s who I am." pic.twitter.com/rxsDrlXzEB
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