Brenda Papakee Ackerman believes that keeping tradition alive is one of the most important things in life.

After a death in her family, her design business emerged from the tragedy and turned into a life-changing career.

“I was the only sewer in the family, and my mother asked me to design the traditional burial dress for my grandmother,” Ackerman says.

“Afterward, word spread that I could design and sew traditional clothing, and my business started overnight.”

Ackerman says she began sewing when she was a young girl; her grandmother allowed her to use a sewing machine when she was 4 or 5 years old.

Although she first used her sewing skills on menswear, the family emergency required a different approach.

Ackerman, a member of the Meskwaki tribe from Tama, has been designing traditional and authentic American Indian clothing through her company, ThunderWorks, since 1995.

To do this, it is important for Ackerman to have a wealth of knowledge regarding authenticity and customer demands.

“All of my orders are custom designs, and I use basic patterns along with the client’s measurements and create design with whichever category of dance,” she says. “The dancers that are the most active are constantly coming back for more costumes.”

To keep those customers, Ackerman said it’s important for clients to feel the clothing was made especially for them.

“I use inspiration from historical clothing and costumes,” she says. “I think my designs are more personal because they are one-of-a-kind. When a dancer performs at a powwow, they want to stand out from the crowd, not look like everyone else there.”

Ackerman is a senior in apparel merchandising, design and production and will graduate this spring. She says her business is rapidly growing and keeps her busy, along with school and taking care of her family.

She tries to complete each order in a maximum of six weeks. Each garment, such as a skirt and shirt, takes about eight hours to complete. It used to take twice as many hours, but she has now found ways to cut down on time.

“I may take production shortcuts, but I have pride in my work because all seams are finished and the quality of the garment is just as important as how it looks,” Ackerman says.

“The costumes have to withstand the performance, and, if they aren’t sewn well, then they will fall apart, which can’t happen. I am somewhat of a perfectionist when it comes to this.”

This fall, she won first choice and first place in Showcase, a design competition in the textiles and clothing department. The winning design was a powwow dress that took 40 hours to complete. The dress was later purchased for $700 by a woman in Wisconsin whose daughter competes in powwows.

Ackerman says these events are an important part of her culture and family. People of American Indian descent are not the only ones who can attend powwows; the events are open to anyone of any race or background.

“I think powwows are important in my culture because they are a way of remembering our traditions and where we come from,” she says.

“It’s important for my children to be able to see their culture and background. Everything is Americanized for them, and I want them to be a part of both worlds.”

Ackerman says she believes that powwows are not only culturally important, but also therapeutic.

“Powwows are a positive experience. It’s a time when you have to check your grievances at the door and forget wrongdoings,” Ackerman says. “It’s a time to celebrate and enjoy your culture.”