Delina White’s Native Star Light
Delina White is a woman of many talents and skills, but first and foremost, describes herself as a member of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe. She lives on the Leech Lake Indian reservation in the village of Onigum in northern Minnesota. At the age of 6, Delina first learned how to make beautiful beadwork from her maternal grandmother, Maggie King, who was a Master Beadwork Artist. While she grew up, Delina designed and hand-sewed Great Lakes Woodland apparel like moccasins, bags, and jewelry used for dancing in powwows.
Drawing inspiration from her natural surroundings — the earth, sky, water, and all [the] relatives who live within the universe — Delina went on to produce a fashion show through the MN State Arts Board in 2015 at five different prestigious art galleries throughout Minnesota. This began her resurgence o the traditional ribbon skirt, reclaiming the significance of traditional cultural heritage and identity that is relevant in contemporary fashion.
Photo courtesy of Delina White
Delina’s work has been showcased in Toronto, Canada; the Smithsonian of the American Indian in Washington, DC; and on the big stage at the Southwest American Indian Arts Santa Few New Mexico’s Indian Art Market in Santa Fe, NM. Her work can currently be found at the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis, the Tweed Museum in Duluth, and the Goldstein Museum of Design on the University of Minnesota campus. She also collaborates with other Native artists to showcase their artwork in her own apparel as a designer, producer, and creative stylist.
During #FWMN22, Delina will be producing Native Star Light, an artistic performance of texture, color, and movement sewn together in the original designs of Delina White of the Anishinaabe nation from the Great Lakes of Minnesota. Additionally, the creations of Lauren Good Day of the Mandan/Hidatsa/Arikara nations from the Great Plains of North Dakota and Osamuskwasis Roan of the Cree nation from the great mountains of Alberta, Canada. This is following Delina’s first show, Native Visions, that was presented at FWMN in September of 2021.
The overwhelming positive response from the show demented the fact that Native apparel is a staple in the future of Minnesota’s growing fashion industry. Native Star Light, which will be produced April 25th at 5pm in the Machine Shop showcases models of “decolonization and non-conformity” in size, gender identity, height, skin color, disability, and district tribal Nations — advocating on behalf of social and economic equity.
Photo courtesy of Delina White
Delina strongly supports Native artists and Indigenous owned businesses, and urges others to support the industry as it relates to opportunity and inclusion. The work she is doing bringing Native fashion designs from reservations from small towns to the heart of urban areas in the Twin Cities significantly impact the way isolated communities “gain experience, skills, and access to economic diversity, opportunity, and sustainability.” As a fashion community, we can support Delina by buying tickets and showing up, providing financial sponsorship, or donating time, service and space to connect people and touch the hearts of many.
On the horizon, Delina is hoping to become a "permanent, long-term fixture” in creating and maintaining a strong Native presence in Minnesota’s fashion industry.
Delina White showcasing her earrings.