Standing Rock holds its first Red Dress Special

Red dresses symbolize missing and murdered Indigenous people everywhere.

“I realized how many Indigenous people are not being recognized and all the cases that are not being solved,” Halsana said. “But I also felt very happy that she’s dancing, because she’s not only dancing for her family, but for all the missing and murdered Indigenous people.”

Tribes have long organized Red Dress dances in solidarity with the MMIP movement. But this year marked the first Red Dress Special during Standing Rock’s annual Long Soldier Powwow in Fort Yates, North Dakota.

Alva Cottonwood-Gabe, a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, leads the group Standing Rock Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives, which put on the special. She was shocked at how many dancers showed up.

“There were so many girls, we had to divide them into two groups,” Cottonwood-Gabe said.

The special had more than 50 dancers and 13 judges.

“This special is to bring forth all the work that is being done and to make sure these people aren’t forgotten,” Charles Walker, the announcer at the powwow, told the hundreds of powwow attendees, “to ensure that these family members receive closure and justice.”

Then he somberly called out the names of missing or murdered family members.

Avis Red Bear, a member of the Standing Rock MMIR group and publisher of the tribal newspaper, Teton Times, told Buffalo’s Fire that almost every individual in the powwow arbor that night has a loved one who is either murdered or missing.

“That makes the numbers staggering,” she said. “If families don’t receive justice, this compounds the pain. One way we have to alleviate the pain is to say their name. We don’t let their memory die. That is why the Red Dress Special was so important, to shine a light on the crisis and remember our lost relatives.”

Twelve-year-old Madison Crow Feather was one of the winning dancers. She’s been dancing for nearly a decade.

“To me, dance means having fun, enjoying the time with friends, and seeing family,” Crow Feather said. “It felt good.”

She said that when she wore her red dress, she felt proud that she was helping raise awareness.

Her mother, Celie Crow Feather, felt even more proud. “It made my heart happy to see her dance out there in that special,” she said. “When she does certain dances, it gives me chills and tears of joy that our daughter is out there doing this.”

Celie Crow Feather hopes the Red Dress Special raises more awareness so more people can attend similar events and come together as a community.

Already, Cottonwood-Gabe has received messages from families who want to help organize and donate to next year’s special.

Frank Bullhead has been arena director for the annual powwows for the past decade.

“Family comes first. Our people are our family,” Bullhead said. “Everything is so depressing, so it’s nice to come in and enjoy yourself and forget about that for a little while.”

Bullhead’s grandson, Renzo, went missing in March. He was last seen crossing the train bridge into Bismarck from Mandan. Bullhead said the family is still searching for Renzo.

“I try not to let it pull me down. We try to work together and help each other get through this,” Bullhead said. “I’m glad everybody is here to do that to comfort and help each other.”

For Cameron Red Bear, comforting others comes in the form of music.

Red Bear has been singing since he could talk. When he was chosen to sing for the Red Dress Special, he said he was shocked.

“For us to be chosen to sing for something so meaningful, it just meant so much more,” Red Bear said. “I felt proud to sing for it.”

The money and gift bags given away to dancers were all raised through donations from families. Cottonwood-Gabe said six families donated $50 so each finalist could go home with money.

“I was proud because I wanted our organization to get recognized for something positive, and I’m proud of all of our families for stepping up,” she said.

The dancers got their recognition as families and community members watched with pride.

As a jingle dress dancer, White Eagle wasn’t just dancing for herself, but for the healing of everyone around her, Halsana said.

Going forward, Halsana hopes every powwow adopts a Red Dress Special.