Las Pelilargas

Between 2006 and 2024, photographer Irina Werning traveled across Latin America, with a focus in Argentina, photographing women with long hair. She spent months in remote mountain towns, putting up signs in schools, hospitals and markets and organizing long hair competitions to find them. ‘For many indigenous communities, hair is a physical expression of thought—an extension of the self, much like the way rivers flow or plants grow from the earth. It reflects a deep spiritual connection to nature, rooted in reverence, humility, and reciprocity. Similar beliefs exist among Indigenous peoples worldwide, like Native Americans. What makes Latin America unique is how these Indigenous rituals and traditions have spread beyond their original communities. Ancient customs blend with waves of immigration, shaping a deeply hybrid identity.’ Irina Werning is a freelance photojournalist based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, whose work focuses on personal long-term projects, She holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics, a master’s degree in History (Buenos Aires) and a master’s in Photojournalism (London). She was chosen by Time magazine as one of the nine Argentinian photographers you need to follow in 2015. Her first book, Back to the Future, was chosen by Time magazine as one of the best photobooks of 2014.