On March 18, the RHS Metro Detroit History class visited the Detroit Institute of Arts, to visit the Institute’s contemporary Native American history exhibit is designed to highlight the talent of modern day Native American artists. Through paintings, dresses, and statues, the exhibit teaches visitors that Native American people are not a monolith, but rather a series of groups, tribes, and societies, with multi-faceted cultures and traditions.

Today, we are going to focus on some contemporary or “modern” Native fashions. These outfits are not just pieces of clothing, but rather statements. Statements that give you a brief glimpse of the Ojibwe and Chippewa tribes.

The gown on the left, titled “In Case of Emergency Bury me and Watch me Grow,” was made in 2024 by Jillian Waterman of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe. The dress is adorned with multicolored Bear Island flint corn seed designs. The corset, purse, mask, and gloves all bear the seeds. In Waterman’s own words, “These pieces are echoes of connections reaching out to not be forgotten. I am the collective of my ancestors and the cosmos.” This dress serves as a reminder to Waterman, that her ancestors live on forever through her.

The dress and shawl on the right, created by Delia White in 2020, titled “Woodland Elegance: Four-Piece Evening Apparel Ensemble” embodies traditions from both the eastern and Great Lakes regions and celebrates the artistry and storytelling inherent in Native textile design. The shawl’s black woodland floral print honors cultural heritage while adding depth and texture.

These pieces represent a small piece of the modern Native American diaspora. They give a voice to Native artists of today, while amplifying the Native voices who due to colonization and genocide, may have never had a chance to be heard.