“All of those [colonialist] policies and institutions were meant to assimilate us out of our culture, so it’s very powerful to celebrate the fact that we haven’t lost our traditions,” Beebe explained. “I also really commend the Stampede for constantly evolving their relationship with the teepee holders.” That’s the title for the people who return year after year to erect these symbols of Native resilience and to share their tribal traditions through storytelling, demos, and the like. It’s an honored role that’s been passed down through multiple generations, dating back to the inaugural year.
I carried that knowledge with me into the Saddledome—the 19,000-seat arena where the popular Flames pro hockey team usually plays—for the powwow, one of Canada’s biggest with more than 1,000 total participants. Tears of happiness rolled down my cheeks as I watched dozens of Indigenous dancers, singers, and drummers from all over North America joyfully showcasing their once-banned cultural practices in this massive space, a huge audience hanging on their every move.
This year, Alberta-born Piikani/Blackfoot actor Owen Crow Shoe served not only as powwow emcee but also as parade marshal, a prestigious post that’s been held by the likes of then Prince Charles, crooner Bing Crosby, and actor Kevin Costner. “It was a huge honor and responsibility to lead the parade this year,” he said. “It’s a real full-circle moment for me, because my family has been at the Stampede since 1985; I basically grew up here. I wanted to make sure there was as much Native representation as possible, so I requested for the Elbow River Camp riders to be right there in front with me—just how it was for the first parade.”
Looking around the event, I noticed thousands of fans from all walks of life—the performers’ friends, authentic cowpokes, urban cowboys, and local families—celebrating Indigenous excellence alongside me.
That’s what makes the Stampede so special for 21-year-old Jessee Vigen, who is a member of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation. She traveled from Mandaree, North Dakota, with her family to race on their Awa Daa Hey relay team and also participate in the Lady Warrior Races, a single bareback lap preceding the relay races that debuted at the event last year. In her six years of racing, she has experienced the ups and downs of the sport, including sustaining injuries like a broken collar bone and a torn ACL.
