Sweetgrass Society Powwow an 'awesome' success

This weekend's 42nd annual Sweetgrass Society Powwow at Montana State University-Northern had added meaning this year for Aiyanna Armajo Goggles and her family.

Goggles, 9, of the Blackfeet and Northern Arpacho, was about to be in her last grand entry as 2017 Junior Miss Sweetgrass Society Princess.

Sweetgrass Society's Amy Murdock said the title is one of three that the Sweetgrass Society gives each year, the other two being Senior Miss Sweetgrass Society and Lil Miss Sweetgrass Society. The new princesses, she said, are named at the end of the powwow.

Aiyanna's mother, Malisha Goggles, said before the powwow's last grand entry that earlier in the day her daughter sponsored a $325 Junior Fancy Dance.

Aiyanna said it had been a fun year, representing the Sweetgrass Society, Northern and her tribes at powwows in Montana, California and Wyoming.

"It's been good," she said. "I traveled all over a lot."

She said the weekend had been fun but she is kind of sad to be giving up her title.

Malisha Goggles, who didn't dance over the weekend because she is pregnant, said that she taught Aiyanna how to dance before she could even walk.

When she was 2 years old, Aiyanna Googles won the title of Ms. Heart Butte Tiny Tot Princess.

To win the title of Junior Miss Sweetgrass Society Princess, Aiyanna had to go around, tell people what title she was seeking and ask for donations.

The effort was a family affair.

Malisha Goggles said that she and other relatives helped Aiyanna raise the money and Aiyanna's uncles, who are powwow dancers themselves, came from California to Havre to show their support for her and made her the Blackfeet-style traditional dress she was wearing.

Goggles said that she takes great pride in her daughter's accomplishments as a powwow dancer and that it takes a lot of courage for any young woman to go out and represent her people at powwows.

"It makes me feel really good in my heart that she is out there doing that," Goggles said, "She makes me a very proud mother."

The Goggles were among the scores of people who came to the Sweetgrass Society Powwow.

Sweetgrass Society Powwow President Amy Murdock said Saturday that this year's powwow was "going awesome."

She said that the Sweetgrass Society received ample support from the community and the crowds were maybe a little larger than last year's

"Everybody supported us, everybody donated, everybody came and it just is a really good feeling to have this turnout," Murdock said.

This year's powwow also featured an honor dance Friday night for missing and murdered indigenous women that garnered a huge turnout.

Everybody in Indian Country, Murdock said, has some kind of connection to the missing and murdered indigenous women.

"So we had a huge support system in that area," she said.