Not just a trim: A new barbershop brings Indigenous flair to Sitansisk cuts

Laura Flight · CBC News

· Posted: Aug 20, 2026 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: August 20

The buzz of this barbershop is about more than a simple cut. It focuses on community care and connection. 

Two Nations Barber Shop is Fredericton’s newest barbershop, located right in Sitansisk First Nation.

And for Nick Paul Jr., the Wolastoqey owner, being a barber is about bonding with people.

“In my experience being Indigenous, community is a big thing,” Paul Jr. said. “So, with my shop I wanted it to be a place where people could come and connect to build the community and have a sense of belonging.” 

Paul Jr. is from Negotkuk, or Tobique First Nation, and has made a home in Fredericton.

He’s been a barber at various shops around the city for nearly six years, and the move to open his own barbershop was the next step to keep moving forward in his career.

A big part of that is bringing Indigenous practices of care to hair cutting. Opening this barbershop is also a way for Paul Jr. to explore Indigenous culture surrounding hair.

“With Indigenous hair, a lot of them will grow it out. And whenever they go through a major life change, or they suffer a big loss, they will cut their hair because they believe the hair holds the memories and your energy.

"So, it’s a way of letting go.” 

WATCH | ‘The hair holds the memories and your energy’:

But Paul Jr. recognized there is a complicated relationship between growing hair out and choosing to cut it. That decision was taken away from Indigenous people who lived through residential schools. 

“They needed to have their hair cut. So, I almost see it as a way of now choosing for themselves to cut their hair rather than having it taken from them.” 

And as an Indigenous barber, getting to be a part of that decision for people who come to have their braids cut off, is something that Paul Jr. is proud to be a part of. 

It’s a way he can bring Indigeneity to barbering with reverence and move forward with healing. 

“Getting [people] in my chair and having them be a part of this experience and take some time for themselves, it brings me a lot of joy.” 

The care and devotion Paul Jr. brings to each appointment is something he likens to ceremony. He wants each person who steps into his shop to feel as if their appointment is sacred. 

“It's more about the idea of that person taking that time out of their day. That hour is completely dedicated to their service and their experience in my chair.” 

Ryan Harris, a longtime client of Paul Jr.'s, was the the contractor who helped put the space together. 

Framing the walls of this shop is unlike any other project Harris has done. 

“Having something that I can personally come and enjoy … it's a relived pleasure that I get to experience.”

For Harris, the time he’s spent in Paul Jr.’s barbershop chair, is the best way he can prioritize himself. 

“It’s the one hour of my month that I get to relax,” Harris said. 

Sitting in the chair while Paul Jr. works around him, Harris said this is the time his “brain can turn off and know that someone is taking care of something that matters quite a bit to me.” 

More than just being taken care of, having a good haircut is something that Harris takes pride in. And it’s a way to prioritize self-care. 

 “With how busy life is in every aspect, I think that men neglect the way that their appearance is and how they take care of themselves.” 

The ceremony Paul Jr. provides for his clients at Two Nations Barber Shop, means feeling better than when they arrived. 

“The ceremony in itself is just the devotion that he's giving to make that person look the best that they can, and it's for them,” Harris said. 

“He does it every time. Every single time.”