How Princess Leia Was Inspired By A Mexican Freedom Fighter

A Fascinating Influence For Our Favorite Princess

By Culture SlatePublished 2 years ago • 4 min read

You don't have to be a Star Wars fan to see the massive cultural inspirations that George Lucas immersed into his universe. Jedi scream Japanese samurai influence, while Boba Fett, Cad Bane, and other bounty hunters alike share a western gunslinger feel. Looking at Princess Leia, did you ever wonder where her unique hairstyle came from or what was the inspirations behind it? Let's go back in time to the early 20th century in what is modern day Mexico and introduce a fearless woman named Clara de la Rocha.

Born in Durango at the turn of the century in 1890, Clara was brought into a world subjugated by a dictatorship. It's known at the age of 20 she joined the Maderista movement and became a freedom fighter. Her father, being a wealthy farmer himself, was a lot like other farmers; angry with the dictator, Porfirio Diaz Mori, who was an ambitious leader, hellbent on modernizing Mexico. Siding with her father to undermine the dictatorship, together they fought many battles and killed many federals who sought to snuff out their rebellion. Clara rose through the ranks from unit commander to Colonel due to her courageous actions.

A relation of Clara, Alexandra de la Rocha, (Clara being her father's distant cousin) talked about the freedom fighter's most notable battle, at Sinaloa in 1911, "She actually crossed the river on horseback and was able to take out a power station in order to allow rebel forces to attack during night, without being seen." Alexandra goes on to say, "She was a grizzled woman, as her father was. They were mountain people, and actually miners and owned a lot of land. They were business people."

Now that we've established where Leia got her tenacious fighting spirit, lets talk about her iconic hairstyle. Women of the Hopi native tribe culturally wore the style called Butterfly Whorls or Squash Blossom Whorls to show the maidens were in fact unmarried and prepared to be wedded. The intricate hairstyle was achieved by the maidens mother. Traditionally using a piece of curved wood, the hair would be curled around the piece of wood and, once finished, the wooden piece would be removed, leaving the rounded Whorls.

George Lucas was inspired by the valiant Clara de la Rocha, who wore the indigenous hairstyle, that he brought to life Princess Leia Organa, who fearlessly fought for freedom from the Galactic Empire. As well as using the hairstyle's cultural meaning of showing the Princess herself was unmarried. George stated in a 2002 Time Magazine interview, "In the 1977 film, I was working really hard to create something different that wasn't fashion, so I went with a southwestern Pancho Villa woman's revolutionary look, which is what that is." We can definitely say that the look absolutely captured Leia perfectly and gave her such a unique and memorable look that will stand the test of time. George goes on to say, "The buns are basically a turn of the century Mexico. Then it took such hits and became such a thing."

Alexandra attended a viewing of the movie Star Wars as a child, which was when her connection to Leia ran deeper than just her courageousness, saying "My mom did my hair in buns like just like Princess Leia." Leading Alexandra to dig through her genealogy and learn more about her ancestry. "It definitely made me reconnect with my uncle, who knows more about the folklore."

Leia shared not only the hairstyle, but the courageous fighting spirit of Clara de la Roche, who passed away in 1970, leaving behind her epic tale. Through George's creative and cultural inclusions, Clara de la Rocha, and her impact on the world, lives on through Star Wars and the characters and people she continues to inspire.

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