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Dancing for our Tribe: Potawatomi Tradition in the New Millenium

Sharon Hoogstraten (Citizen Potawatomi Nation)

Open through April 26, 2026, 2nd Floor Gallery

Bozho — Hello in Potawatomi.

These 30 portraits by photographer Sharon Hoogstraten celebrates the Potawatomi people dressed in their dance regalia. Begun in 2010 at the Family Reunion Festival in Shawnee, Oklahoma, this project honors the descendants of the Great Lakes’ early inhabitants—proud, modern people preserving culture with intention.

Dancing for Our Tribe reflects how regalia is a living tradition, not a costume or relic. It is an expression of identity, blending ancestral artistry with contemporary life—from sewing machines and synthetic fabrics to tattoos and military service. Through these images, we see a vibrant culture adapting and thriving today.

Sharon Hoogstraten is an Emmy Award–winning photographer, animator, and graphic designer. Over the course of more than a decade, Hoogstraten photographed members of all nine Potawatomi nations in traditional regalia—work that led her to uncover her own ancestral connections. Her large-scale portraits affirm a powerful message: We Are Still Here. Her work has been exhibited in museums and cultural institutions nationwide.

We Are Still Here!

Photographer Sharon Hoogstraten, Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Margaret Zientek and daughter Tesia Zientek, Citizen Band Potawatomi, 2010. Archival digital print, courtesy of the artist.

Photographer Sharon Hoogstraten, Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Judy Daisy-Sink, Pokagon Band of Potawatomi, 2018. Archival digital print, courtesy of the artist.

Photographer Sharon Hoogstraten, Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Frank Sprague, Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish - Gun Lake, 2016. Archival digital print, courtesy of the artist.

Photographer Sharon Hoogstraten, Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Velma Wahwasuck and Grand Daughter Eliana Banks, Prairie Band Potawatomi, 2014. Archival digital print, courtesy of the artist.

Photographer Sharon Hoogstraten, Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Robert Olivarra, Match-E-Ba-Nash-She-Wish - Gun Lake, 2016 Archival digital print, courtesy of the artist.

Photographer Sharon Hoogstraten, Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Tony Wahweotten,Prairie Bank Potawatomi, 2018. Archival digital print, courtesy of the artist.

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