This week on Minnesota Native News, the story behind Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe citizen Anita Lovelace’s MMIR jingle dress, which took home the 2025 People’s Choice Award at the State Fair’s Fine Arts Competition. Plus, how Fond du Lac Tribal & Community College recently celebrated the harvest and food sovereignty.
Executive Producer: Emma Needham Script editing: Emily Krumberger Anchor: Marie Rock Producer: Deanna StandingCloud, Chaz WagnerMixing & mastering: Chris Harwood
Transcript
Anchor Marie Rock: I'm Marie Rock, and this is Minnesota Native News.
This week, a look at the story behind Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe citizen Anita Lovelace's dress that recently won the 2025 People's Choice Award at the Minnesota State Fair's Fine Arts Competition. Plus, how Fond du Lac Tribal & Community College celebrates the harvest with an annual Indigenous Foods Gathering. First, let's hear from Deanna StandingCloud.
Deanna StandingCloud: The first jingle dress is said to come from right here in Minnesota. A dream of this dress came to a father of a girl who was sick during the flu epidemic in the 1920's. It is told to be the turning point toward the girl's recovery back to health. Over a hundred years later, the jingle dress movement has evolved and is bringing healing for another epidemic: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives also known as MMIR.
Guadalupe Lopez: You have to do this with a place of love in your heart and so learn about the history of what has been done to Indigenous people here in Turtle Island in the United States.
Deanna StandingCloud: Guadalupe Lopez is a citizen of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and recently accepted the role of Director of the Minnesota Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Office.
Guadalupe Lopez: I am very proud of Minnesota for having two offices for the epidemic of missing and murdered for our Indigenous relatives and our Black women and girls.
Deanna StandingCloud: In 2024, there were 716 reported missing Indigenous people in Minnesota. Many Indigenous people across the state are personally affected. One of those is community teacher, crafter, and Leech Lake Band Ojibwe citizen Anita Lovelace.
Anita Lovelace: One evening, I was sitting at the sewing machine and something just told me to go cut that dress out.
Deanna StandingCloud: The vision to make a dress honoring Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives emerged from both Anita and her daughter Alita.
Anita Lovelace: It has to have handprints on it. We ourselves have family members on this jingle dress. I have three family members, and she also has a grandmother on it.
Deanna StandingCloud: Anita entered her MMIR Jingle Dress into the 2025 Minnesota State Fair Fine Arts competition.
Anita Lovelace: I heard the odds of getting in there are like really slim. I'm like, I'll never get in. My first try and I got in with this dress.
Deanna StandingCloud: Anita won the 2025 People's Choice Award. The jingle dress is black fabric lined with silver cones that clash against one another to create a distinct sound during the iconic jingle dress dance. There are bright red handprints behind the names of Indigenous people who was murdered or are still missing.
Anita Lovelace: Two of the people on that dress are Leech Lakers, as I am.
Deanna StandingCloud: For her, the dress itself belongs to the community. For Minnesota Native News, I'm Deanna StandingCloud.
Anchor Marie Rock: Next, how Fond du Lac students and community members honor Indigenous agriculture and food sovereignty. Chaz Wagner has the story:
Chaz Wagner: A two-day Indigenous Foods Gathering event took place on the Fond Du Lac Reservation last the first weekend of September. The first event was held at the tribe's Gitigaaning Community Farm near Big Lake.
[Sound Element: SFX of Indigenous Foods Gathering]
Chaz Wagner: The gathering was hosted by Fond Du Lac Tribal Community College's 13 Moons and Bimaaji'idiwin Programs. Organizer, Phil Savage explains that it's an event that celebrates community.
Phil Savage: We focus on season specific cultural activities and traditions of the Anishinaabe people. This summer, we've done a lot of agriculture work, and to celebrate that, we're having a garden celebration.
Chaz Wagner: The second day held a larger gathering at the Fond Du Lac Ojibwe School and featured various demonstrations such as: wild rice push pole making,
[Sound element: SFX of wild rice push pole making]
Chaz Wagner: ...lacrosse, a Farmers Market, and a feast with fresh berries, vegetables, and squash harvested from the nearby garden, Bimaaji'idiwin.
Vincent Johnson: This will be my fourth time attending. I like when they have food summits. The dinner was amazing. I had Brussel sprouts, collared carrots, some squash, bison, a cake with a berry compote. Yeah, the food was amazing. It was delicious.
Chaz Wagner: This year was Fond du Lac Tribal Community College's fifth annual garden feast. For more information on future gatherings, follow the Thirteen Moons Facebook page. For Minnesota Native News, I'm Chaz Wagner.
Anchor Marie Rock: (Funder Credit) Minnesota Native News is produced by AMPERS: Diverse Radio for Minnesota's Communities. Made possibly by funding from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.