Red Jingle Dress

American Indian women experience forms of sexual violence, like sex trafficking, at a higher rate than any other demographic. Powwows have started including red jingle dress dance specials to honor sexual violence survivors as well as missing and murdered Indigenous women (MMIW).

The jingle dress dance and regalia originated with the Ojibwe as a healing dance. They gifted it to other tribes, and it eventually became a common category at powwows. While the jingle dress is a popular competitive category at powwows, it continues to be regarded as a healing dance. The red of the dresses used in this special jingle dress regalia is inspired by the REDress Project, an art installation by Canadian First Nations artist Jaime Black to bring attention to the missing and murdered Indigenous women epidemic in North America.

This jingle dress was made by Nan Blassingame, a citizen of the Cheyenne and Arapaho nations. Through her Austin-based clothing brand, Blassingame creates powwow regalia as well as clothing inspired by her tribal identity.

If you need help or suspect human trafficking, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. You can also text "Help" or "Info" to 233733 or email Report@PolarisProject.org.