“Originating circa 1920 as an Anishinabe response to the sickness and death caused by the Spanish Flu, the jingle dress and its accompanying dance have become a traditional prayer for healing in times of need. The dresses were adorned with dangling bits of metal, which jingled with movement. Jingle dresses were introduced during a time when expressions of Native American spirituality were illegal and punishable under federal law, making them an inherent symbol of resistance, resilience, and cultural pride: it takes backbone to create a dress defined by the noise it makes during such a dangerous time for America’s first peoples. This dress is a prayer for that kind of courage, something we all need in order to stay both resilient and loving in these current times.”

–Cherish Parrish