Jingle Dress Dancers Hold Healing Ceremonies at Memorial Sites

Hundreds gather in Minneapolis to honor victims of federal immigration operations

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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Jingle dress dancers convened at the memorial sites of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis on February 1, 2026 to hold healing ceremonies for the community. The ceremonies were organized by Star Downwind and other community members in response to the recent shootings of Pretti and Good by federal immigration agents.

Why it matters

The jingle dress dance has provided healing for Native communities in Minnesota for over a century, and the ceremonies held at the memorial sites were an important act of community solidarity and resilience in the face of ongoing federal immigration operations that have led to the deaths of Pretti and Good.

The details

Hundreds of people attended the ceremony, many wearing ribbon skirts and regalia. The ceremony began with a prayer, followed by the jingle dress dancers moving in a clockwise circle around the drum as the crowd surrounded them. The memorial site for Renee Good was covered in snow, which two men had shoveled to make space for the dancers. Caley Coyne, who usually dances the fancy shawl, brought out the jingle dress 'when it is very needed' to try and 'uplift and heal and protect all of those around us'.

  • The ceremony took place on Sunday, February 1, 2026.

The players

Star Downwind

A lead organizer of the ceremony.

Renee Good

An individual who was shot and killed by federal immigration agents.

Alex Pretti

An individual who was shot and killed by federal immigration agents.

Caley Coyne

A jingle dress dancer who usually dances the fancy shawl but brought out the jingle dress 'when it is very needed'.

Nicole Matthews

The CEO of the Minnesota Indigenous Women's Sexual Assault Coalition, who was involved in organizing the ceremony.

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What they’re saying

“The dress came to our people when there was a time of sickness. And so that's what we do. We show up when there's people suffering.”

— Star Downwind, Lead organizer of the ceremony (The Circle News)

“To bring healing to a community that's obviously already very hurt, just to try and uplift and heal and protect all of those around us.”

— Caley Coyne, Jingle dress dancer (The Circle News)

“We're seeing it in broad daylight. All of it happening, unfolding right in front of us.”

— Nicole Matthews, CEO of the Minnesota Indigenous Women's Sexual Assault Coalition (The Circle News)

“I believe our medicines and our prayers are our greatest strength, and that gives me courage to be here. When we come together in prayer and in solidarity with each other, we're protected.”

— Nicole Matthews, CEO of the Minnesota Indigenous Women's Sexual Assault Coalition (The Circle News)

What’s next

The community plans to continue holding healing ceremonies and advocating for an end to federal immigration operations that have led to the deaths of community members.

The takeaway

The jingle dress dance ceremony was a powerful act of community healing and resilience in the face of ongoing trauma and violence, demonstrating the enduring strength and importance of Indigenous cultural practices in providing solace and protection during difficult times.