Native Nations Fashion Night
The largest Native fashion show and marketplace in the Upper Midwest.
Native Nations Fashion Night
Native Nations Fashion Night is a celebration of the diverse Indigenous fashion trends across North America. Each year, Minneapolis becomes an international hub showcasing the latest work in Native fashion design with a runway show, curated artisan market, Native culinary arts, and live entertainment.
SAVE THE DATE
April 25, 2025
“Messengers, Protectors, and Great Mysteries”
In the Indigenous belief systems, Spirits are everywhere. We honor and respect them in everyday life through prayer and ceremony. The Manidoog are sending us messages, they are our protectors, and we call them "great mysteries." This year’s theme is centered around intriguing textures, techniques, and embellishments that tell a story and hidden messages that invite interpretations of the mysterious.
2024 Event Theme
2024 NNFN | Featured Guests
chef
Chef Elena Terry
Elena Terry is the Executive Chef/Founder of Wild Bearies. After having been a traditional foods cook, and worked in the restaurant industry for over a decade. Several years ago, Elena shifted her focus on community building as she merged her passions and focused on educating through indigenous foods. Elena has developed partnerships with James Beard Foundation, the Smithsonian, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, US State Department, Intertribal Agriculture Council, American Indian Foods Program, Advocates for Urban Agriculture, UW Systems and Rural Urban Flow to name a few. Chef Elena is also a butcher and wild game specialist and prefers open fire and outdoor cooking.
Event Emcee
Grace Goldtooth
Lower Sioux Indian Community, MN member,Grace works to advance the wellbeing of the Community through her expertise in Dakota language, education, the arts, cultural preservation, and wellness. Her professional background includes leading language revitalization as a Dakota language apprentice and teacher in Minnesota, engaging youth and families as a program specialist, and is the current Executive Director of the Lower Sioux Indian Community.
Chef Brian Yazzie
Intertribal Foodways, LLC.
Founder/Owner of Intertribal Foodways
Brian Yazzie aka Yazzie the Chef (Diné/Navajo) is from Dennehotso, Arizona and based out of Saint Paul, MN. Yazzie has a degree of Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Culinary Arts from Saint Paul College 2016. He is a summer resident chef at Dream of Wild Health farm, a team member at Indigenous Food Lab based out of Minneapolis, MN, a delegate of Slow Food Turtle Island Association, and a team member at I-Collective: a collective of cooks, chefs, seed keepers, farmers, foragers, and scholars, focused on bringing awareness to the cultural appropriations of indigenous foods of the Americas.
live dj
DJ AO
I'm a DJ, MC, Audio Engineer. I'm Bdewankatawan Dakotah and Hopi from Tinta Wita (Prairie Island), MN. I was born in Minneapolis and currently reside in Woodbury.
I'm one 20 years deep invested as a DJ spinning vinyl and carrying crates, to now in the digital era.
I've Received a degree in audio engineering from the Los Angeles Recording School.
Upon graduating in 2008 I've gone on to work as an artist in many varieties of the industry from major events to local venues, I've encountered many environments of the entertainment industry.
As an artist and DJ I represent Rap Records, and Freshwater Deejays. When I'm not involved in music, I also work with the American Indian Prison Project. Our goal is to continue changing the concept and definition of restorative justice using our culture, and values to reconnect our incarcerated relatives to their heritage, and sacred teachings.
Donate
Donate
We are always looking for sponsorship or donations to expand the reach of our event. Any contribution helps make this event possible. I say Miigwech, Hiy-hiy, Haho, A’he’hee, Pinagigi, Pilamaya, Thank you.