Twin Buttes Powwow in North Dakota celebrates every child as a champion

For many, especially those who have not grown up in a powwow environment, it can sometimes be intimidating to enter the powwow circle the first time — or even a lot of times.

With this in mind, I decided I wanted to create a safe space for beginner dancers entering the powwow arena. I wanted each child to know what it felt like to hear their name being called over the microphone as a champion and to run up to the announcer stand to be recognized in front of everyone. I just wanted them to feel the adrenaline, and hopefully it would help them feel more comfortable to dance in the arena.

There are many factors that go into having a child dance in the arena, such as making them some type of regalia and teaching them the basics of the songs and ways of dancing. There are different categories, different age groups and so much more. It can get overwhelming.

Dancing in front of a crowd of people can be scary for the first-time dancer. A lot of times kids can learn just by watching and getting inspired. Other times a child needs extra encouragement.

The Twin Buttes Powwow in North Dakota supported my idea for a youth night and gave me the resources to create it. Now in its fourth year, it just keeps growing. I hope if kids come every year, they will have a trophy case to fill with their awards.

There are several powwows that have a youth night right before the celebration, but Twin Buttes decided to take it a step further and have a winners’ ceremony. All the kids register before grand entry starts. There is a different speaker each year who talks to all the kids about respect — for the powwow circle, for outfits, for their elders and most importantly for themselves.

For this year’s Twin Buttes Powwow Youth Night, which was held June 12, I asked Sarai Coffey to talk to the kids. A graduate of Parshall High School, Sarai served as this year’s head woman dancer for the celebration. “The arena is a special place,” she explained in a speech to kick off the weekend. “It is where we come to dance, to heal, to pray and to carry on the ways of our families before us.” She said when people step into the arena, they aren’t just dancing for themselves. “You are dancing for your family and for those who cannot dance right now,” she said. “Maybe you’re having a tough time or you have a family member who is having a hard time. Come out and dance for them and bring blessings to them.”

Sarai strikes me as an exceptional young lady, deep in her love of her culture and family, and she had many more positive things to share with the kids.

At the end of the evening, the announcer, Charlie Moran, got the crowd amped up and announced he was ready to call all the winners. He then called each child by name. Every child is a champion on this night and everyone cheered, creating an experience intended to make every child feel special. Children ran up and received a trophy and day pay money.

Twin Buttes had a very successful weekend with a lot of good singing and dancing. More than 300 dancers and an incredible staff made the weekend enjoyable.