Though the mohawk hairstyle is commonly associated with a certain native American tribe of the same name, my personal theory (completely devoid of any proof whatsoever) is that it was inspired by the head plumage of the Steller's Jay, depicted here. Wikipedia offers the following information on the history of this hairstyle: The hairstyle has been in existence in many parts of the world for millennia. For instance, the Clonycavan Man, a 2000-year-old male bog body discovered near Dublin in 2003, was found to be wearing a mohawk styled with plant oil and pine resin. Artwork discovered at the Pazyryk burials dating back to 600 BCE depicts Scythian warriors sporting similar mohawks. The body of a warrior occupying one of the kurgans had been scalped earlier in life and wore a hair prosthesis in the form of a mohawk. Herodotus claimed that the Macai, a northern Libyan tribe, "shave their hair so as to leave tufts, letting the middle of their hair grow long, but round this on all sides shaving it close to the skin." Among the Pawnee people, who historically lived in present-day Nebraska and in northern Kansas, a "mohawk" hair style was common. When going to war, 16th-century Ukrainian Cossacks would shave their heads, leaving a long central strip. This haircut was known as a khokhol and was often braided or tied in a topknot. During World War II, many American GIs, notably paratroopers from the 101st Airborne Division wore mohawks to intimidate their enemies. It was also occasionally worn by American troops during the Vietnam War. In the early 1950s some jazz musicians, and even a few teenage girls, wore them. The first use of the Mohawk style in movies was in "Female trouble" (1974) by John Waters. Please zoom.