Eugene Tapahe's photography series, "Art Heals: The Jingle Dress Project," is a captivating and transformative exploration of healing and cultural resilience. Through his lens, Tapahe beautifully captures the power and significance of the Jingle Dress tradition and Indigenous identity in contemporary society. Each photograph tells a profound story, showcasing the beauty of America's landscapes, intricate details, and graceful movements of the Jingle Dresses, while also depicting the profound emotional and spiritual healing that takes place during the accompanying dances. Tapahe's imagery goes beyond mere aesthetics, delving into the heart and soul of a centuries-old tradition that has become a symbol of strength, hope, and renewal. With his remarkable talent, Tapahe illuminates the interconnectedness between art, culture, and healing, reminding us of the transformative power that lies within our shared human experiences.
Tapahe's amazing message is translated into a comprehensive book of the Art Heals series. Pairing the images with excerpts and oral histories from Indigenous scholars speaking on contemporary topics of art, language, and identity.
Tapahe's amazing message is translated into a comprehensive book of the Art Heals series. Pairing the images with excerpts and oral histories from Indigenous scholars speaking on contemporary topics of art, language, and identity.
[ Image : Eugene Tapahe ]
"At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic I had a dream. I was sitting in a grass field at Yellowstone National Park watching the bison graze on the horizon as the sun set. And then, in the distance, I heard the healing sound of jingles. One by one, beautiful jingle dress dancers appeared. It was as if they were dancing with the bison to the rhythm of a silent drum. It was beautiful and peaceful. "
[ Eugene Tapahe ]
"At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic I had a dream. I was sitting in a grass field at Yellowstone National Park watching the bison graze on the horizon as the sun set. And then, in the distance, I heard the healing sound of jingles. One by one, beautiful jingle dress dancers appeared. It was as if they were dancing with the bison to the rhythm of a silent drum. It was beautiful and peaceful. "
"When I awoke I felt it in my heart, this was more than a dream. I couldn’t deny it. I wanted to because it seemed impossible to obtain, especially during this time of the COVID-19 pandemic and the turmoils of the racial and political differences in the world. As I retold the dream to my family they could feel it too. We knew this had to happen. We started the project with little money and lots of faith and hope it would work."
[ Eugene Tapahe ]
"Our goal is to take the healing power of the Ojibwe jingle dress to the land, to travel, to dance and capture a series of images to document the spiritual places our ancestors once walked, and to unite and give hope to the world through art, dance and culture to help us heal. On the first photo shoot, Dion, Erin, JoAnni, Sunni and I learned how to work together. They weren’t models. I wasn’t a portrait photographer. It was awkward, frustrating and new. But, from the moment they started to jingle dance on the land, it all changed. I felt, what I felt in my dream–beauty and peace."
[ Eugene Tapahe ]
