Our Grandmothers Dress: Reclaiming the Dress of Our Ancestors | Siobhan Marks | TEDxUWGreenBay

Our traditional dress says something historically significant about who we are but little has been documented about the original dress of our grandmothers. Until recently, one had to go outside of our culture to even see one, let alone understand its significance in our identity as Native women. Recorded and edited courtesy of NorthCoast Productions. Siobhan Marks’ Anishinaabe name is Zeegwan Noodenese meaning the warm breeze of Spring. She is Miigizi (Eagle) Clan and a descendant of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin and Cree, which she can trace back to the 1700’s. Her mother was Ojibwe and Irish. She is a Second Degree Midewiwin of the Three Fires Midewiwin Lodge in Bad River, Wisconsin and passionate about Anishinaabe culture and language, with an emphasis on the original dress of Woodland women. Over the past 11 years, she has studied historical pieces and has made a number of traditional dresses that she calls "Our Grandmothers Dress", representing the historical eras this important dress was worn. She has shared the story of Our Grandmothers Dress and how to make them with women in tribal communities throughout the US and Canada, and has presented at conferences, Universities and museums. She began this work with her Uncle, Neil Oppendike, who walked on only a few months ago. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx