Native Regalia Affected by Tarrifs
The jingle cones that adorn medicine dresses have deep roots in Anishinaabe tradition but today, global trade and U.S. tariffs are reshaping how they’re made and who can afford them. From Ontario to Washington State, Native artists and small business owners are feeling the impact of rising costs on materials central to cultural expression.
✍️ Reported by Amelia Schafer
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@sctahir
February 22, 2026 at 3:34 am
Wouldn't authentic jingle cones made using traditional methods be preferable to imported cones from Asia? It sounds like an opportunity for an enterprising first nation person to make a living and become the preeminent go-to for authentic first nation costuming materials. I'm sure that everyone has busy lives and doesn't necessarily have the time to make everything for themselves, but shouldn't some things be sacred? It's like buying American flags made in China. It just doesn't sound right.
@elainegoad9777
February 22, 2026 at 3:34 am
Find some Native Crafters who can make the cones out of sardine can lids. Perfect size lids and quite bendable plus eating sardines is very healthy with omega 3 fatty acids and protein and they are cheap. Encourage tribes and clans to eat sardines and donate the (washed ) cans for the crafters. Keep the old culture. Re-learn the old skills.
@melenemetinameibrown5452
February 22, 2026 at 3:34 am
These TAXES/TARIFFS ARE ILLEGAL! Why are we not throwing this monster clown out of the office of the Presidency? Hopefully the intellectuals that voted for Trumpty Dumpty will realize their poor choice of electing a terrible business man, liar, 30+ time felon with no soul. Thanks MAGA!!
@Chickaddd
February 22, 2026 at 3:34 am
I am wondering why one cannot order from an Asian nation into Canada. Why does it have to go through the U.S.?
@nativestacker4185
February 22, 2026 at 3:34 am
Stop it !!! These dresses are supposed to be Traditional ! These cones are supposed to be made by hand by the dress makers or other Natives !
@birdgl5539
February 22, 2026 at 3:34 am
Don't be lazy and make them the same way they did back in the day, by hand!!!
@lh1050-f8v
February 22, 2026 at 3:34 am
So First Nation MUST have jingle cones for their native dress… their ancestral dress… that their ancestors MADE themselves for their dress… but today folks cannot make.. or WILl NOT make.. if each jingle cone costs $0.56 cents and that is too much to pay for overseas merchandise, then do as your ancestors did.. make them yourself, find someone stateside in your community to make them. Maybe make them of the materials your ancestors made them from or create some new materials to use. Basically, use your ingenuity and imagination and create… like those before you did… or accept that you will pay $56 for 100 jingle cones or 56 cents a cone.
@Reddlman
February 22, 2026 at 3:34 am
heres an easy solution. make them yourself. you can use pop cans, maybe soup can tops (they might be too thick) bacci cans (if they are still metal) or laser cut pieces of thin gauge steel. or water cut aluminum.
Hand cutting them would take forever, so you'd need some kind of custom circle cutter. Imagine an arbor press with a hollow blade on it. it would work just like a cookie cutter.
for soup cans you would only need a special kind of can opener so the edges arent sharp. they are usually called safety can openers, smooth edge can openers, or chefs can openers. But I honestly dont know how well they would bend, or sound. steel might even sound better if the thickness is just right.
If you wanted a pattern in them you could use a hammer, and a piece of steel with a positive pattern in it. give it a couple whacks and you're set. OR you could use arizona tea cans and have the outside face the outside.
it would be a labor of love. Jingle dresses are the best.
@ReginaHockwin-Thalmann
February 22, 2026 at 3:34 am
OMG 😢😢😢❤ was sagt die Rechtslage dazu, gibt es keine Hintertür
@nativeandindigenuscraftcre433
February 22, 2026 at 3:34 am
Hi thanks for sharing this story with us and i dont blam her i blam tump thanks again and good luck with everything ict news
@kanonierable
February 22, 2026 at 3:34 am
So you tell me that nobody in your community is able and/or willing to produce an item as simple as these "jingle-cones"?
@NanaBeth1
February 22, 2026 at 3:34 am
The nightmare that is this administration gets worse everyday. Can someone in Congress put forth some kind of bill that exempts tribal people from tariffs?
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