Once he has become old, about age forty-five, the head is shaved bald. The bracelet fighter is the man searching for a bride. Through bracelet fighting, he attracts the attention of the eligible females of the tribe. His hair and his body paint point out his qualities as a potential mate and father. Much time is spent on his grooming.
Hair decorating, which is done before body painting, is fairly simple.
The hair is kept about one-half an inch in length. Beeswax is not rubbed into the hair, it is caked on. After stippling with a small stick to create texture, the concoction is dusted with color. In a few days, when the wax design is starting to look old or worn, the wax is picked off and a new layer applied. Feathers, colored ribbons, thorns, seed pods and protective herbs are often added to the wax for greater decoration.