Misizaaga'iganing onjibaamagad bawaajige-omajigooday
The Dream Dress Comes From Mille Lacs

February 10 - February 29

Artist Reception - Wednesday, February 26, 7 - 9 pm

Enjoy dancing, music, and storytelling during the reception.

 

 

Artwork by Amikogaabawiikwe (Adrienne Benjamin)

Language Translations by Waabishkigaabaw (John P. Benjamin)

Original Story as told by Amikogaabawiban (Larry Smallwood)

Original exhibit was Zibaaska’iganagooday: 100 Years of the Jingle Dress at the Mille Lacs Indian Museum.

 

Read More About The Jingle Dress Here

 

Adrienne M. Benjamin is an Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) artist from the Chiminising community, a part of the Mille Lacs Reservation. She grew up in Isle, Minnesota. Adrienne considers herself a multi-disciplinary artist who creates different cultural crafts with contemporary and traditional flair. She is most recognized however for her jingle dress making and her work has been most recently featured in the "Ziibaaska'iganigooday - The Jingle Dress at 100" exhibit at the Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Trading Post. She has given cultural educational talks about the Milled Lacs jingle dress story at many schools around the state in hopes of bridging understanding about the Ojibwe culture. Central Lakes College in Brainerd recently invited her to speak at their "Cultural Thursday" event at the Chalberg Theatre where she gave a recorded presentation about the jingle dress story and her won art journey. 

Professionally, she is a 2018 NCAIED 40 under 40 Award Recipient, 2018 Salzburg Global World Seminar, one of 50 Young Cultural Innovators, Class of 2018 University of Pennsylvania; Arts & Culture Strategy, 2017 ArtWorks Grantreader: National Endowment for the Arts, 2016-2017 National Arts Strategies Creative Community Fellow, Cohort 5 of the Native Nations Rebuilders Program, and is an alumni of the Blandin Foundation Reservation Community Leadership Program.

 

Artist Statement

I am a complete being comprised of the small pieces of all that has been passed down to me and through me; all that I continue to learn, and all that I pass forward from myself is only an extension of my ancestors. I have been taught and I teach. I have learned and I share. I am the wisdom of my elders and the dream of my ancestors. My vessel exists to further cultural narratives and further truth, my truth, the truth of my people, and the truth of my experiences. I find my identity in my past, in current times, and dreams of the future where all three places are undoubtedly connected.

Amikogaabawiikwe is Anishinaabe, a woman, a mother, a daughter, a mentor, a teacher, an artist, a learner, and I exist; resisting colonization practices, while working to better all systems through art with equity in mind for all.