We’ve seen a few impressive mohawks on our Cape Town Streets, but nothing like this. Joseph Grisamore, a resident of Park Rapids in Minnesota, has the world’s tallest Mohican mohawk. It has officially been measured by the Guinness World Records team, and checks in at over 42.5 inches (1,07m) high.

“My favourite thing about the mohawk is just the rarity of it,” Grisamore told Guinness. “I’ll admit that peoples’ reactions are pretty priceless too. I’m six foot one feet tall, and my mohawk is pushing four feet now.”

According to Grisamore, he does not use as much hair product to keep his hair upright as people may think. He has a hairstylist who usually teases the base of his mohawk well enough for it to stand up by itself.

“Doors aren’t over seven foot tall, ceilings nine foot, and cars are impossible to get into – so I’m limited to where and how I move around when I’m all done up, but the crowd usually comes to me,” he said.

Grisamore has wanted to break the record since 2007, but was too afraid of shaving both sides of his head to qualify for measurement. He decided to try again, and managed to grow his hair by a further four-feet in seven years, finally allowing him to smash the record.

“I’m honoured to be added to a list of one-of-a-kind record holders,” he said. “My wife wants me to stay humble, but instead I’m considering becoming the ‘Mohawk King’, and attempting the tallest mohawk spike title, which is how I’d begun my journey with record-breaking in 2007.”

His accomplishment will be featured in the Guinness World Records 2021 edition.

Picture: Guinness World Records

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Lucinda is a hard news writer who occasionally dabbles in lifestyle writing, and recent journalism graduate. She is a proud intersectional feminist, and is passionate about actively creating a world which is free of discrimination and inequality.