The 2025 Sovereignty Day Weekend celebrations kicked off with the Wahzhazhe fashion and comedy show on March 7.
John Parker emceed the event, bringing his humor in to keep the audience engaged.
Designers in the fashion show included Weomepe Designs by Dr. Jessica Moore Harjo; Sweet Al’s Creations x We.Heh’s Threads by Alison and Jade Jones; Ribbon Roots by Jasmine Phetsacksith; Native Springflower Creations by Luana Strikeaxe Murphy; Wa.Tsa Designs by Blake Cunningham.
“It’s great because I get to represent a lot of families here, not even Osage and beyond,” Dr. Jessica Moore Harjo said. “A lot of my models are from the tribes around here in Tulsa. It’s empowering. I worked on this collection, it was released last week, and so it gave me an opportunity to show it to Osage people, and I grew up Osage, and it is just a blessing.”
She explained the meaning behind her new collection for her fashion line Weomepe Designs.
“The silk collection’s called Rose and Thorn,” she said. “You look at a rose; they’re soft and delicate features. But there’s also this sharp, very abstract feature. You see in the patterns, you see that contrast, you see that harmony. There’s the contrast, the harmony and the sharpness, but it just kind of represents a deeper meaning and symbolism of challenges in life, but also opportunities, places that grow. Then the color palette is all derived from the earth tones that roses represent in general.”
Dr. Moore Harjo’s son and husband walked in the fashion show wearing her designs.
Alison Jones, the owner of Sweet Al’s Creations, collaborated with her sister Jade, owner of We.Heh’s threads. Sweet Al’s Creations provided the accessories and We.Heh’s threads provided the clothing.
“We’ve always been crafty,” Alison said. “Our grandmother Mary Grayce Bighorse, she taught us at a young age how to sew and bead, and that’s kind of where we started.”
Over the years the sisters have made all sorts of things, from clothing to jewelry, to traditional Osage clothes.
“In recent years, I started making baby clothes and actual apparel outside of our regular regalia,” Jade said. “I learned how to make mocs so all of our family will come to me and have me make them.”
Models
The fashion show had numerous models, including Osages Dava Daylight, Jaime Butler, Jaycie Bighorse, Denver Wahwassuck, Jaydin and Leighton Shaw and Mia Jones, to name a few.
Denver Wahwassuck walked for Sweet Al’s Creations and We.Heh’s threads.
“I felt really nervous getting ready before the show,” she said. “I hadn’t been in a fashion show for so long. I felt very proud of what my sisters have accomplished, for them to get out of their comfort zones. Their designs made me feel exhilarated and empowered. Brings back memories where I used to see my Eko out in the audience cheering me on with her biggest sunglasses.”
Alex DeRoin attended the fashion show and loved it.
“I loved the fashion show,” he said. “I love the traditional Osage aesthetics blending with modern contemporary ideas. Dr. Moore Harjo killed it as usual and I’m just glad to be able to be out here and see Wahzhazhe opulence at its finest.”
Emcee John Parker was honored to host another Osage event.
“When I was asked to do this, I just embraced the opportunity to celebrate sovereignty and to bring our people together to showcase the art and talent,” he said. “It’s been a really good evening. I was very happy and thankful for all the people that came, to not just support, but also came to feature themselves and be a collective performance act. I’m happy everybody had fun at the party. It was definitely a celebration and expression of freedom and sovereignty.”
The Aunties Acting Up comedy show shared their humor with the audience which made the event even more entertaining. The comedians were Julie Make and Rachel Rose, both Osage, and Kels Cooper, Sondra Slade and Jordan Jayi.
With the evening being full of laughs and fashion, Parker believes with the outcome of the fashion and comedy show, there will be another one in the future.
“I have full faith that we definitely have the request to do this again,” he said.
Erin Casoose models Sweet Al’s Creations at the Wahzhazhe Fashion and Comedy Show on March 7, 2025. ECHO REED/Osage News
CORRECTION: Osage designer Blake Cunningham’s label was incorrectly spelled in an earlier version of this article. It is Wa.Tsa Designs. The Osage News regrets the error.
