Peace and Conflict Iowa Speakers Series

Join us for a screening of Why We Dance, a documentary by Oogie_Push that explores the enduring cultural significance of dance within Indigenous communities. The film traces the story of the Meskwaki people, who responded to federal efforts to suppress Indigenous ceremonies in 1923 by organizing a large-scale powwow, transforming tradition into an act of resistance. Through stories, music, dance, and hand-beaded regalia, Why We Dance examines the resilience of Indigenous nations and the ways cultural traditions continue to connect generations, lands, and communities. Filmed across the Rosebud Reservation, the Meskwaki Settlement, the Twin Cities, O'ahu, and Mataxhi, Mexico, the documentary is both a celebration of cultural endurance and a reflection on the power of dance to preserve identity, memory, and belonging.