Manitoba wrestler cuts the hair she grew in honour of her grandfather to make weigh-in at NAIG - Action News
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Indigenous

Manitoba wrestler cuts the hair she grew in honour of her grandfather to make weigh-in at NAIG

Wrestler Emma Bear from Peguis First Nation let go of a lot more than her braids at weigh-in last Friday in Halifax at the National American Indigenous Games.

19-year-old Emma Bear says she will bury one of her braids by the ocean

Emma Bear, dressed in her team manitoba gear, tells her story thursday afternoon along the waterfront in downtown halifax
Wrestler Emma Bear, 19, of Peguis First Nation, cut her hair to make weigh-in in her category at the North American Indigenous Games in Halifax. (Robert Short/CBC)

For Team Manitoba wrestler Emma Bear, the quickest way to make her weight class at the NorthAmerican Indigenous Games meant cutting off the braids that she felt kept her close to her grandfather.

Bear was set to compete in the female 76 kg/167.5 lbs weight division but at weigh-in time, the 19-year-oldfrom Peguis First Nation was over the limit by 0.2 kg.

"I was really disappointed at first," she said.

NAIG follows Wrestling Canada rules which state there is only one weigh-in the morning of the first day of competition, after which athletes are then divided by region and weight line.

After the weigh-in, she went to find her dad and the rest of her family in the lobby. He knew right away something was wrong when she came out looking devastated.

Emma Bear smiles looking back with her hair up to the middle of her back.
Emma Bear with her long hair. (submitted by Dawn Bear)

"She kind of broke down and said 'I didn't make weight,'" said Desmond Bear.

Typically, wrestlers can try shed weight quickly by running or trying to reduce water weight but Emma didn't have that kind of time.

Her father said while they waited for officials to deliberate, her coach came racing out.

"He just about took us out like a bowling ball," saidDesmond Bear.

"And he says, 'Cut her hair!'"

The decision was hers, and the second she said "Cut it,"the volunteers went runninglooking for scissors.

Two of Emma Bear's team mates cut her hair over a garbage bin to help her shed some weight.
Two of Emma Bear's teammates cut her hair to help her shed 0.2 kg. (Submitted by Dawn Bear)

The Bear family follows traditional practices. Emmagrew her hairto commemorate her grandfatherBarry Bear, who died in 2021.

"In my culture back home, the way we practise is when you cut your hair, it's significant, because you grow your hair for your loved ones around," she said.

"My parents and my siblings, we all live with my grandparents growing up."

Among her parents and three siblings, she saidshe was the only one left to cut her hair off in his memory.

After cutting off two foot and half long braids off her head, Emma Bear shows off her fresh undercut.
After cutting off her braids, Emma Bear shows off her fresh undercut. (Robert Short/CBC )

Arriving in Halifax, she said she was reminded that this was another big thing in her life that her grandfather was not there for.

And even getting to the NAIG weigh-in was a challenge for Emma.

Shenormally wrestles inthe 82 kg/180.8 lbs category but another athlete had already claimed that spot. It meant that she needed to drop to the 76 kg/167.5 lbs category and sheput in months of training and nutrition focus to qualify.

When the Southern Chiefs Organization shared Emma's story on Wednesday,many people commented that her grandfather would be proud of her.

"It was like a weight taken off my shoulders stepping into the ring with my short hair," she said.

She said she will bury one braidby the ocean before she leaves and take the other one home to bury in Manitoba.