Julie Johnson (Salem, Burns Paiute Reservation), an enrolled member of the Fort McDermitt Paiute Shoshone Tribe, is known for her jingle dress making, beadwork, regalia, and dance. She performed in the opening ceremony of the Salt Lake City Olympics.
Bio
Julie Johnson is an enrolled member of the Fort McDermitt Paiute Shoshone Tribe in Nevada, where she was born. Raised in Phoenix, Oregon, she started powwow dancing when she was 12. Johnson also makes Native American dance dresses for her family and friends who wear their regalia for powwow, dances, and other special occasions. With the help of her husband, David Johnson, she had created more than 200 outfits. At the Burns Paiute Reservation, she organized a powwow club for young dancers, teaching the girls the steps to various dances and how to combine them. A highly accomplished dancer, Johnson speaks eloquently about the spiritual side of powwows as well as the symbolism and meaning behind the regalia. Today, she dances primarily for herself, and at times for her kids, for her elders, and for her community. But when the Olympics were held in Salt Lake City, Julie—along with her husband and nephew—were asked to represent the Paiute Tribe during the opening ceremony. Julie Johnson was a Master Artist in the Oregon Folklife Program’s Folk and Traditional Arts Apprenticeship program. Johnson, who now works for the State of Oregon, splits her time between Salem and the Burns Paiute Reservation.
