BUTTE — The Montana Folk Festival is known for its world-class musicians, but it also has visual arts. This year, the First Peoples' Fashion Show took place on the Main Stage at the Original Mineyard in Butte.
"It’s important that Native fashion is included in the Folk Fest just because it creates a space here with the non-natives for them to recognize us and also to get familiar with who we are as a people," says Rebekah Jarvey, a Chippewa Cree and Blackfeet designer based in Rocky Boy Montana.
She says showing off contemporary Indigenous fashion allows the world to see the modern side of the Native culture. Rebekah Jarvey is one of four designers representing different Tribes at the festival, including Yolanda OldDwarf ofSweet Sage Woman Designs, Carrie Moran McCleary of Plains Soul Designs, and Della Big Hair Stump of Designs by Della.
"I definitely get excited and this is not like your traditional runway show, so just to know that we made it to the big stage—I’m very hyped up," says Jarvey.
Jarvey was not the only one hyped to take the stage. Before the show, dozens of models sat down at the Butte Native Wellness Center with local makeup artists from Glow Montana Aesthetics to get ready.
"To just, like, make these girls feel so good and look so good and then have everybody else look at them and see them look so good and feel so good. Best feeling on the planet. I would do it in a heartbeat any day," says Neah Tavera, a Butte-based cosmetologist.
Tavera was sweeping dark brown eye shadow on Maliyah Rider Gray, a teen from Havre who has been modeling Native designs for several years. She made the trip to Butte by way of Browning, Montana, where she participated in the annual powwow.
"Well, I’m actually just happy to be participating because honestly, modeling is pretty fun. It’s an experience and, you know, you meet a lot of cool people and stylists too," says Rider Gray.
Sitting quietly as he waited for his twin sister to finish her makeup, Treyace Young Bear of Whitehall, Montana, pondered his role in the show. He says it's his first time doing something in front of a huge crowd.
So I asked, does he know what to do when you get on stage?
"Smile," says Young Bear.
