Badlands Celebration Sees Cool Weather, Specials
The 51st Badlands Celebration is in the books, following a busy weekend with cool weather and new dance specials. Attendance was up considerably from last year and the powwow grounds saw new and old vendors alike, with a drinks station manned by the Archambault family and hot eats from the Turcotte Food Bus crew.
Culbertson’s Nicole Marie Leno attended with her mother and daughter. “It was a good one for sure,” she told the Northern Plains Independent. “Some good specials last night too.”
Specials included a veterans special in honor of Richard Greybull, a women’s fancy shawl in memory of Jonita F. Parshall, a kahomani special sponsored by headman and headwoman dancers Kelsey and Darci Haywahe, a grandmother/ granddaughter special in honor of traveling princess Kahloni Hoops and more than 15 other specials.
The 2024 Badlands royalty included senior princess Makenzie Crawford, senior first attendant Gracie Lambert, senior second attendant Ashlynn Miller, junior princess Haeli Clark, junior first attendant Brynlee Nygaard, mini princess D’lanie Spotted Bird, mini princess first attendant Maddy Youpee, senior traveling princess Kahloni Hoops and junior traveling princess Kenzley Clark.
A candlelight ceremony was hosted Friday night by Spotted Bull Recovery Resource Center, as well as walk/run events Saturday and Sunday morning. SBRRC also hosted a Creator’s Game horsemanship clinic.
Talissa Eder told NPI that the celebration was a success. “I thought everything went good over the weekend,” Eder said. “It went by really fast, a lot of good dancing and singing.”
For a full list of specials champs and dance category winners, visit the NPI Facebook page.
