hello i have a v important question concerning Dwarrows and idk who else to ask -- how do you think that braids convey cultural significance eg courting braids, marriage braids, family braids, etc? is it a specific type of plait? placement? bead? because not all dwarrows can place a plait in the same spots, like dwalin, being bald, or nori, whose hair is so intricate already that adding additional, if significant braids, would be a problem. I've been having a lot of trouble visualising this :/
An interesting question, and I’m sure many of my followers would be happy to weigh in their own opinions (so feel free anyone with thoughts on this subject)!
For me, I find it unlikely that there would be any one set cultural tradition or practise regarding braiding, within Durin's folk as a whole and even within the specific tribes. Cultural traditions within our own world are incredibly adaptive and rarely stay the same (certain arguments can be made for the quiescent state of traditions of uncontacted peoples, but without adequate data - because, you know, uncontacted - these are only hypothetical). Think about the fact that wedding rings, for example, are placed on the left or right hand depending on where you are in the world. In some places the engagement ring is plain, but the bride’s wedding ring has a jewel. But the meaning is still understood within their specific cultural contexts. I’d argue that the most likely outcome is a huge variety of braid styles, patterns and placements that require contextual/cultural cues to be understood. And that could come from beads (style, number, placement), from how the braids are tied off, or from knowledge of specific localised traditions. Like you, I’ve struggled with the idea of placement as indication of meaning due to the variety in hair growth, but I’ve got around it by imagining that even if there is a tradition for placement (say, a braid behind the ear meaning eligibility for marriage), that there would also be other cues to indicate the meaning if you weren’t able to do that (a bead cut from a specific stone or metal, for example). In the same way that today a wedding ring indicates married status, but can be recognised when worn on the finger, on a chain around the neck, or even as indicated by a tattoo.
I’m not sure if this actually answers your question, but then again, I’m not sure that there is any specific answer!