A former Poplar resident and Tribal Juvenile Jail Guard took home her first Grammy award.
Norma Baker-Flying Horse and two-time Grammy winning photographer Joe Pekara were honored at the 64th Grammy Awards for Visual Arts and presented with the Cultural Recognition Award.
This honor is given to those who present their culture in a positive and successful way, bringing education through artistry to everyone.
Pekara was presenting and accepting the award for the Indigenous culture.
When the Grammy panel recognized Pekara, he was given an opportunity to recognize a featured artist to accept the award with him. This selection was Baker-Flying Horse, a couture fashion designer whose work finds balance between cultural and couture Indigenous attire.
“Representation matters and this award proves just how important the work of Indigenous Fashion Designers,” she said.
At the end of the ceremony, Pekara let Baker-Flying Horse keep the Grammy because he has others.
Baker-Flying Horse has her own company “Red Berry Woman,” an Native American Fashion line. Her work has been seen throughout Indian Country. She has been featured on international runways such as Vancouver Fashion Week and New York’s celebrity show Dress to Kilt. Her biggest claim to fame is for the gown worn on the 2018 Oscar stage by activist Alice Brownotter during the Andra Day, and Common performance. Her work was also viewed on the 2019 red carpet.
Baker-Flying Horse is enrolled with the Fort Berthold Tribe.
Fort Peck Ties
According to Baker-Flying Horse, her great grandpa was Ralph Walking Eagle and her great grandmother was Ethel Drum. They had a child, Beverly Walking Eagle who was the younger sister to Vida Muskrat. Grandmother Beverly married Grandpa Norman Baker of Mandaree and had her mother, Roberta Baker.
Her grandmother had four children from a previous marriage. Mike Buck Elk, Waynch Buck Elk, Gloria Buck Elk and Bernadine Buck Elk.
“I have a lot of first cousins that live in Fort Peck,” she said.
