I never realized how much of my identity I carried in my hair — until I gave it all away

Caring for her hair was an intimate connection Nadja Halilbegovich shared with her mother. She kept dyeing her hair as a ritual to preserve their bond before a war separated them.

I never realized how much of my identity I carried in my hair — until I gave it all away
A collage of two photos of the same woman. On the left, she has long auburn hair which is being swept up in the wind. On the right, she has a blond pixie haircut.

Caring for her hair was an intimate connection Nadja Halilbegovich shared with her mother. She kept dyeing her hair as a ritual to preserve their bond before a war separated them.