Every piece of a dancer's regalia is made, earned and worn with intention. Beneath the postcard scenery runs a human history as deep and layered as the Badlands rock.

Regalia is often handmade by family and passed down or added to over years.

What sets it apart

Feathers, colors and designs can signal a dancer's family, deeds or style. For those who know the region well, it is a quiet point of pride.

Etiquette holds that regalia should never be called a 'costume.'

Why it matters

Step back, and a larger picture comes into view: this is South Dakota in miniature, rugged and unhurried. It is a heritage still very much alive in the communities and gatherings of today's South Dakota.