Community celebrates Bismarck High School student athletes

Bismarck High School, located in the capital city of North Dakota, held an event honoring Native student-athletes during a night of girls’ and boys’ basketball games.

Outside of Native American Heritage Month, not many events offer non-Natives a chance to see and learn about parts of contemporary Indigenous cultures.

The evening was an effort by Bismarck Public Schools, Sacred Pipe Resource Center, Oun (Ah-ooon), and Native INC.

Standing Rock Sioux Tribe citizen, and member of the Bismarck Booster Club, Sunshine Archambault-Carlow talks about the positive impacts of a night like this.

The Indigenous Night at the Karlgaard is a first-of-its-kind event for a school that has a significant number of Native students.

Community members were treated to a contemporary Native American meal and Indigenous organizations set up booths to discuss their work.

Before the girl’s and during the halftime of the boys’ game the Sitting Bull College Singers sang while dancers showcased their styles.

Hunkpapa and Oglala tribal member and former Special Assistant to the President for Native American Affairs Jodi Archambault spoke to the crowd about what her time at the school meant to her.

Standing Rock Sioux Tribe citizen and student Caiden Demery, one of the dancers, says she wants everyone to know Natives are alive and kicking.

And Mandan Hidatsa Arikara Nation citizen Noah Moquino, another student, added that seeing so many people happy felt good to him.

Organizers say the event was a success and hope to plan more nights like this one in the future.