On Saturday April 26th, was the 16th Annual Healthy Start Wacipi. The Master of Ceremonies was Joe Circle Bear and the Arena Director was Kip White Cloud. The annual event was organized and hosted by Vickie Anderson- FSST Healthy Start Coordinator and Shawne Rislov FSST Healthy Start Program Case Manager.
The wacipi was scheduled to begin at 1pm for grand entry but due to the untimely twenty-four hour long blizzard grand entry didn’t begin until 2pm, but the late start didn’t affect the pow-wow energy throughout the Flandreau armory & community center.
FSST Vice  Chairman Jason Taylor delivered the welcoming address praising the Healthy Start Program and the Tribal Child Care Program Providers for their dedication towards providing educational and nurturing environments for our young children to assist them when they begin their formal education. The Tribal Child Care Program received additional praise for the work they provide to assist tribal families to find quality and affordable childcare. Gina Williams FSST Executive Committee Trustee III was also present to lend support toward the 16th Annual Healthy Start Wacipi.
The Gordon Weston Indian Veterans Lodge with members from Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate honor guard posted the flags and the eagle staff representing the “38 Dakotas hung in Mankato” was carried by Dave Williams, member of the Lodge.
The Wocekiye (Special Prayer) & infant honoring began at 3:30 pm The infants honored were: David James Williams, Rihanna Rita Holy Bull, Layla Mae Mandan, Maya Isabella Anderson, Ari Martin, Addison Arainia Jones-Renville, Justin James Red Buffalo, Jr., Wyatt Weston, Juliauana Lynn Anderson, Jon Williams Burshiem, ALlyas James Weddell, Avayah Marie RiLynn Weston, Kye Joseph Schmit II, Ellyn Ann Kingsley, Gracie Rederth, Wicanhpi Sakowin Weston, and Julian Lee Allen. Other visiting families did also participated in honoring ceremony. All babies received a Dream Catcher, a gift from the FSST Healthy Start Program. A buffalo hide was placed in the center of the arena floor where water and wasna (dried buffalo meat, dried corn, and chokecherries) provided by JP Roy was distributed upon the infants. Virgil Mountain provided the prayer while all babies and their parents were smudged with sweet grass.
Also honored were all prenatal women, breastfeeding women, women who quit smoking due to pregnancy, and all childcare providers. A special honor also took place for Betty Taylor, she is grandmother to six of the infants honored during the wocekiye, and she has 10 grandchildren total.
The dancers included 20 registered tiny tots, 18 registered junior dancers, 7 registered teen dancers, & 43 registered adult dancers. All tiny tot dancers received $5 per session, junior dancers received $10 per session, teen dancers received $15 per session, and the adults received $20 per session.
The registered Royalty during the Wacipi were: TaLawne Mirreaux- 2007-2008 Jr. Miss FSST Healthy Start, Kateri Velasquez -Flandreau Indian Princess, Kimamana Waste Win Heminger- Miss Fort Randall Casino Indian Day Celebration 2007-2008, Kenna Quickbear- Jr. Miss For Randall Casino Indian Day Celebration 2007-2008, Cante Waste Uha Win Heminger- Miss Bravo 2007-2008, Tessa Quinn-Miss Pejuhutazizi Oyate, and last but not least Beverly Burshiem- Miss Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribal Princess.
The FS ST Healthy Start Wacipi’s host drum was Buffalo Lake from Sisseton, SD the other registered drums are as follows: Dakota Boyz of Fort Thompson, SD, Wahpe Kute of Sisseton, SD, Eagle Spirit of Sioux Falls, SD, Young Heart of Wolf Point, MT, Fox Crossing of Morton, MN, Crazy Bear of Flandreau, SD, Young Elk of Flandreau, SD, Young Voice of Flandreau Indian School, N.D.N Muzik of Sisseton, SD, River Boyz of Sisseton, SD, All Nation of USA, and Iy Kapta of Sisseton, SD.
At 5:30 everyone was treated to a catered dinner from the Royal River Casino. The menu was fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, assorted fruits, and dinner rolls. JP Roy made buffalo & hominy soup, and Amanda Taylor made wild rice soup for the dinner.
Eric Anderson and Dionne Crawford brought a cake in honor of their daughter Maya Isabella Anderson. Leah Fyten also brought a cake in honor of her granddaughter Rihanna Rita Holy Bull.
After the dinner with full bellies was time for the judging for the new Healthy Start Princess. The judges were Amanda Taylor, Angie Eastman, and Marlena Roy. These women had the difficult task of deciding who would be crowned for the 2008-2009 Healthy Start Princess, but they all agreed that Lily Mae Smith of Sisseton, SD daughter of Joanna Cloud and Cameron Smith would be best suited to hold the title for 2008-2009 Healthy Start Princess. Lily Mae was presented with a 20 08-2009 Healthy Start Princess crown handmade by Charles Amos, a white satin sash with red lettering made by Amanda Taylor, and a white shawl with purple fringe. The 2nd runner-up was Jadeen Hansen of Flandreau, SD daughter of Jeff & Joanna Hansen. Jadeen was presented with a red shawl. The 3rd runner-up was Kaitlyn Wakeman of Flandreau, SD daughter of Mike Wakeman & Jessica Redder. Kaitlyn received a beautiful red star shawl, a special thank you to Betty Taylor and Sheila Eastman for providing such wonderful colorful shawls.
Vickie Anderson Healthy Start Coordinator would like to thank all who attended and to invite everybody for next year’s wacipi to make the 17th Annual Healthy Start Wacipi a success and to keep on celebrating healthy families & their children in our community.
-Amber Allen
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