Ruby McArthur is Cree and Nakoda and comes from Carlyle, Saskatchewan, Canada. Starting at a young age, Ruby was known for her pictorial styles of beadwork and her colorful visual styles which are often utilized by competitive powwow dancers. In early 2000 this dress was a part of an educational learning tool for the University of Saskatchewan. The grant funding allowed Ruby to purchase the beads and materials while documenting the beadwork process.
Following this, the dress was given to Tahnee Growingthunder who added to it and used it in competitive dances across the United States and Canada. The belt has been the latest addition, a gift from JoJo Shield, a Crow saddle maker who gifted the matching belt to Tahnee. He used a painted motif of western tooled style and a beaded edge to match Ruby’s design along the edge of the dress.
On the top, one can see the scissortails and flowers significant to Ruby as a Cree artist and important to Tahnee, who comes from the tribes from the eastern woodlands. The white background, and color variation are from size 11 Czechoslovakian beads. A dress made for competitors, the leggings and moccasins are beaded on waterproof materials to protect the dancer from outdoor elements and maintain dryness. The accessories include dentalium, horsehair, and various pieces of beaded works for earrings, chokers, and belt drops. The skirt is made from ultra-suede and has a cover apron from shoestring fringe and handtied lace for embellishment.
