PHOENIX — A group of indigenous dancers from Arizona are coming home with empty suitcases after their sacred Native American dance outfits were stolen during a business trip to Los Angeles.
Almost $15,000 worth of items were stolen from members of Indigenous Enterprise, an Arizona Native American dance group.
The dancers’ sacred regalia was stolen out of a car they took on a business trip to Los Angeles on Saturday.
Three suitcases containing about $15,000 worth of beadwork, bustlers, and head roaches, were in the trunk of Dominic Pablo’s friends’ parked car when they were taken near West Hollywood.
“I never thought something like that would happen to me,” Pablo said. “It was a crazy feeling, I was hurt and sad.”
Pablo is a part of Indigenous Enterprise, a group made up of members of several tribes from Arizona to Canada that was even featured on the NBC show "World of Dance."
Through dance, the group shares their culture around the world, while wearing outfits known are regalia. These are typically handmade by family members and parts are passed down through generations.
That was the case for Ty Lodgepole, whose regalia was handmade by his grandmother and pieces of what made his outfit sewed in.
“It’s not just something that you put on and just go and dance with, it’s a lot deeper,” said Lodgepole about his regalia. “It’s definitely a hard thing to go through.”
For him, what he wears to perform is a mix of family, prayer, and respect that come together in a form of art. That’s why he said it hurts that his items were stolen.
But despite losing items rich in his family’s history, Lodgepole and Pablo are staying positive, wishing well to the person who robbed them.
“Hopefully whoever did take it, they get some type of good blessing from it too,” Lodgepole said. “It served its purpose for me, giving the opportunity to travel to Australia and perform there, now it can give them something too.”
The dancers reported the theft to Los Angeles police. Officers responded but they found no signs of their belongings in the area.
“Hopefully that beadwork, to whoever took it, will heal them with whatever they are going through, whatever hard times they are going through,” Pablo said.
The group is now raising funds to replace their stolen regalia and be ready for upcoming performances in two weeks.
“I appreciate all the love and support and words of encouragement,” said Pablo. “It’s nice and [we are] thankful for all of it.”
If you would like to help the dancers, you can donate here.
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