Family wants answers after Indigenous man’s braids cut while in Edmonton hospital
“It was the essence of his spirit,” Crowe explained at a news conference. “It was who he was, and to have that cut off, it was a huge change in him.”
The family of an Indigenous man is seeking answers after his braids were cut and discarded without permission while he was staying at an Edmonton hospital.
Dexter Adams, 84, was a patient at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, awaiting long-term care for dementia. On May 6, his wife, Eve, visited him as usual to braid his hair. However, she was shocked to find that his braids had been cut off without consent and were thrown into a garbage bin, placed on top of a soiled diaper. In addition, his eagle feather and some medicine were missing and never recovered.
Kathleen Crowe, Dexter’s niece, said the family has yet to receive any explanation or apology from the hospital. She emphasized the cultural significance of the braids, saying that cutting them off was deeply hurtful.
“It was the essence of his spirit,” Crowe explained at a news conference. “It was who he was, and to have that cut off, it was a huge change in him.”
Crowe believes the incident contributed to her uncle’s rapid health decline, with Adams passing away five weeks after the incident. “After my uncle’s braids were cut off, it was as though he’d lost his spirit and his will to live,” Crowe said.
Alberta Health Services (AHS) stated that its policy requires consent from both the patient and family for haircuts, and there was no medical reason for the haircut. AHS expressed regret over the incident, acknowledging its cultural insensitivity and saying it met with the family to apologize for the distress caused.
“Recognizing the deep spiritual connection many Indigenous peoples have to their hair, AHS is committed to ensuring staff understand its significance,” the statement read.
AHS also said that it held three in-person sessions at the Royal Alexandra Hospital to educate staff, volunteers, and students on the cultural importance of hair to Indigenous peoples. Ongoing mandatory Indigenous awareness training is also in place.
