“Umatilla tribal member Acosia Red Elk has spent years on the powwow circuit as a world champion jingle dancer. Now she’s combined its steps with yoga to create powwow yoga and promote contemporary Indigenous healing through movement and dance.”
Acosia was recently named as one of six recipients of the 2024 Doris Duke Artist Award. Each award includes $525,000 of unrestricted funds plus $25,000 to help the artist save for retirement.
Performances
Powwow Yoga and Indigenous Healing
Acosia Red Elk – Duration: 12:12
Oregon Field Guide | Oregon Public Broadcasting
Why
Supaman (Apsaalooke tribe) and Acosia Red Elk – Duration: 4:12
Note that her jingle dress becomes a musical instrument with its own voice among the others
Movement in Medicine
Acosia Red Elk – Duration: 5:04
Additional Jingle Dress Resources
The Jingle Dress, a Modern Tradition – An Interview with Brenda Child
How Jingle Dresses Are Being Used to Heal Communities
Tribal Information
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR)
Cayuse – Umatilla – Walla Walla
Our Mission
“In the best interests of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Board of Trustees shall exert the Tribes’ sovereign authority to protect the rights reserved by the Treaty of 1855 and to promote the interests of the members and residents of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The Board of Trustees shall exercise the authority of the Confederated Tribes so as to promote, enhance, and achieve the maximum degree of self-government, self-sufficiency, and self-determination in all Tribal affairs. Doing so objectively and ably is the abiding mission of the Board of Trustees of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.”
“Language for the people of Nixyáawii, the place of many springs”
Mission Statement
“The CTUIR Language Program will work towards revitalization of the Umatilla, Walla Walla, and Weyíiletpuu languages. And will preserve, retrieve, document, teach and increase or restore language usage to tribal English-first speakers and beginner native language speakers and wholeheartedly involve all fluent speakers to their full capacity.”
Cayuse – Umatilla – Walla Walla website
For further research check Acosia Red Elk’s page
