Photography Book: This Native American Life / Soul of the Dress
I was blessed to meet the Harris sisters (Katie Harris, MS, Anna Harris, Mary Harris) from the Umatilla Reservation in Eastern Oregon 8 years ago. It was then when I learned of what these sisters were doing within their culture and, my mind was blown away.
In 2010, Katie, Anna and Mary Harris began re-creating plateau-style, ceremonial buckskin dresses to preserve their tribal heritage and to reclaim the regalia that has been either lost, stolen or sold off to private collectors. These hand-sewn, intricately beaded dresses, carry “beauty, connection, trauma, and love,” as well as “the souls of the women who lived in them.”
When the Harris sisters showed me their creations, I knew immediately that we had to document all of the regalia. For me, I had never seen Native American regalia all in one collection like this. I began to look around and realize, there isn’t a lot of knowledge and modern imagery about regalia and the Native American community in general.
When I was growing up (like most of us), we saw regalia in ill-faded black and white photos or sepia toned tin type. These dresses have never been able to be enjoyed in full color, the way it was always meant to be.
That is when “This Native American Life: Soul of the Dress” was born.
I, along with the Harris sisters set out to create a one-of-a-kind collection of their tribes regalia and make a book, modeled and words written by the Harris sisters, to share with the world.
The Harris sisters believe in sharing their culture. They want to open up their world and let us in, as they have opened their home and hearts to me. For that, I am forever grateful for their trust in me.
I hope you enjoy this book. It’s for everyone to learn a little bit more about the amazing culture we still have in this country. Our hope is that this book inspires others to look back into their culture and preserve what made them.
We all learn from one another. It’s important to keep the conversation open amongst us and other cultures. It’s something I hope we never let go of and grow from.
This Native American Life™ : Soul of the Dress https://lnkd.in/eXJARMnW
