Parsino Carlos Peynetsa

Parsino Carlos Peynetsa is an elder of the Zuni and Isleta Pueblo tribes. An award-winning traditional powwow dancer and singer, Peynetsa was born in Zuni Pueblo, New Mexico, and grew up there and in Isleta Pueblo, New Mexico. He relocated to Chicago as part of a federal Bureau of Indian Affairs effort during the 1950s through the 1970s to move American Indians into urban centers. Peynetsa studied at Greer Technical Institute and worked for many years as a mechanic. In 1985, he formed the Black Hawk Performance Company, the oldest American Indian dance company in Chicago. The group performs modern and traditional dance, music, and storytelling from several different tribes.