Powwow celebration begins

Montana's smallest Indian reservation will be bursting with a celebration of Native American culture this weekend when Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation holds its 52nd Annual Celebration.

Caryn Sangrey, a member of the 2016 Celebration Committee, tasked with organizing the powwow, said that because it is held on the smallest of Montana's seven Indian reservations and is located in the north-central part of the state, the Rocky Boy powwow is one of "the better kept secrets" on the powwow scene.

However, through word of mouth it has grown in size and in the number of those attending.

Every year, license plates from Montana and throughout the U.S and Canada can be seen parked near the powwow grounds.

But Sangrey said this year's celebration will have added meaning, since it will mark 100 years since the reservation's creation in 1916. Sangrey said the committee she sits on and the reservation as a whole started planning the 2016 powwow last year.

"We're all collaborating to make sure this powwow is really good for our communities, just bring everyone together in a positive way to showcase that we are celebrating our 100th anniversary," she said.

During that time, she said the committee has aggressively moved to raise money to put on the powwow and prizes for competitors.

Sangrey said that this year the powwow has between 15 and 20 sponsors including Plain Green, Rob Rosette of Rosette and Associates. and several

tribal entities.

She said overall, the powwow's budget has risen by about 30 percent over last year's.

Dancers will also see a larger payout. Sangrey said that adult dancers usually see payout at between $500 and $800. A poster advertising the powwow says this year prizes will be between $1,500 for some adult dance contests and up to $9,000 for singing contests.

In addition to fundraising, Sangrey said, powwow

organizers have had to come up with contest categories, get drums, make travel arrangements, pick a head man and a head woman dancer, find and making travel arrangements for a master of ceremonies and set up a good sound system.

"There's a lot of things that go into handling this big of a celebration," Sangrey said.

Sangrey said there should be between 15 and 20 vendors this year, most of whom are local.

The powwow will have four masters of ceremonies: Merle Tendoy and Daryl Wright II both from Rocky Boy, along with Rueben Littlehead of Happy Flats, Montana, and Howie Thomson of Carry The Kettle, Saskatchewan.

Powwow grand entries will start Friday at 7 p.m .; Saturday at 1 and 7 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. At those times, dancers will enter the arena, following behind those who carry staffs and flags.

In all, there will be about 15 specials, or contests, including a Rocky Boy Centennial Men's War Bonnet and Buckskin Special, a $4000 Men's Fancy Feather Dance Showdown North vs. South and a $4,000 Celebrating 100 Years of Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation.

Chippewa Cree Water Resources will be holding activities throughout the week, but no full schedule was provided.

A youth powwow starts Thursday night and a sobriety walk starts Friday at 8 a.m. The walk starts at the Old Stone Child College and goes to the powwow grounds.

The powwow grounds can be reached when traveling from Havre on U.S. Highway 87 by taking a left where a sign says "Rocky Boy's Agency" and following Laredo Road.