Gianna “Gigi” Sieke of the Grayhorse District has been selected as the 2021-2022 Osage Nation Princess.
She will be crowned on Sunday, March 28 at 3 p.m. at the Grayhorse Community Building located in the Grayhorse Indian Village.
“Gianna is such an outstanding young lady. She has such a big heart and a beautiful personality. I know that she is going to be a great role model for our younger Osage generation,” said Osage Tribal Director Chalene Toehay-Tartsah. “The most important thing a girl can wear is her confidence, and I know she has that. I believe that she will represent our nation to the best of her ability.”
Gianna, 15, is culturally grounded in traditional Osage teachings, said her mother Janese (Lasley) Sieke. She attends Osage language classes and loves to visit with elders. She participates at Inlonshka, Grayhorse War Mothers, and various social dances. She is quick to help set and clear tables, and with guidance from her aunt Margie Williams she is learning more and more ways to cook traditional Osage dishes.
Currently a sophomore at Pawhuska High School, she is an honor student with a 4.0 GPA. She is a member of the Oklahoma Indian Student Honor Society, vice president of her sophomore class, president of the Native American Student Association, and also a member of the Penguin Club of Pawhuska.
Her sports activities include Cross Country, the inaugural Lady Huskies Powerlifting Team, varsity soccer and varsity track. She also enjoys running in 5k races and she can be often seen running around the Osage Campus. She is a published Broadway Critic with George Takei’s Second Nexus-Teens Take Broadway. She has seen over 20 Broadway productions and has been published four times. Her reviews on “Head Over Heels,” “The Cher Show,” “King Kong,” and the Tony Award sweeping “Jagged Little Pill,” have been published.
“She has such a bright smile and that’s what I love about her. Her parents and her family did an excellent job with her,” Toehay-Tartsah said. “I had spoken with Janese and asked her if Gianna would be interested in being our next Osage Nation Princess. Her mother was overjoyed when I spoke to her. I could hear it in her voice.”
Gianna spent her younger years growing up in New Jersey and moved to Pawhuska a few years ago. Sieke said it gave Gianna perspective on how huge and amazing the world is.
“She has enjoyed city life and also reservation life. Both worlds are what molded her into the talented and charismatic lady that she is today,” Sieke said. “Gigi would love to express her gratitude for being chosen as the next Osage Princess, an ambassador for the Osage Nation. She is extremely honored and would love to thank Kihekah (Chief) Standing Bear, Mrs. Chalene Toehay-Tartsah, and all her family and friends for the ongoing support. May Wakanda continue to bless the WahZhaZhe people, our sovereignty, language, and our next generations.”
Gianna is the daughter of Eric and Janese Sieke. Granddaughter of Raymond Lasley II and the late Gloria (Blanchard) Lasley. John Sieke. Robert and Susan (Milbauer) Walters. She would also love to acknowledge her Great Uncle Matthew and Aunt Ellen (Sieke) Prusecki.
Tradition
The first Osage Tribal Princess was Margaret Luttrell Gray, who served in 1941. Since 1941, an Osage Princess has represented the Osage Nation every year at the week-long American Indian Exposition, held every year in August in Anadarko, Okla. The Osage Nation Princess will join other tribal princesses from more than 10 different tribal nations at the Exposition. They participate in banquets, fashion shows, are featured in parades, pageants, and are asked to give speeches about their tribal nations at various events.
Last year’s exposition was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has not been announced where an exposition will be held this year.
Once the princess has served for a year, she becomes a member of the Osage Tribal Princess Sorority for life. She receives a shawl with her name and year of reign. The OTPS currently has more than 15 active members and they hold an annual honor dance. Last year’s honor dance was canceled due to the pandemic.
“Many of our young Native women look up to their tribal princess,” Toehay-Tartsah said. “It’s a big honor.”
Former Osage Tribal Princesses:
1941 Margaret Luttrell Gray (deceased)
1947-48 Louise Shangreau (deceased)
1949-50 Mildred Bear Lunsford (deceased)
1951-53 Thomasine Green Moore (deceased)
1953-54 Fannie Mae Beartrack Donelson
1955-59 Anita Lookout West (deceased)
1960 Kathryn Redcorn
1961 Beverly Wamego Brownfield
1962 Jerri Jean Barnes Branstetter
1963 RoseMary Shaw
1964 LeeAnn Yarbrough Ammons
1965 Kathy Roberts (deceased)
1966 Linda Maker Long
1967 Jan Nell Robinson Jacobs
1968-69 Mary Barnes Monetachi
1970 Alice Jake (deceased)
1971 Mary F. Hopper
1972 Patricia Barnes Pratt
1973 Renae Brumley
1974 Anita Eaves Maker
1975 Susan Shannon
1976 Julie Brave Standing Bear
1977 Tammy Fugate Baldauff
1978 Billie Carol Jones
1979 Carolyn Shannon (deceased)
1980 Tracey Moore
1981 Angela Satepauhoodle Toineeta
1982 Meg Standingbear Jennings
1983 Tracey Moore
1984 Margaret Shannon Sisk
1985-86 Olivia Gann Gray
1987 Jodie Revard
1988 Trish Alley
1989 Asa Cunningham Concha
1990 Danita Corneilson Goodwill
1991 Danene Lane (deceased)
1992 Joyce Oberly
1993 Welana Fields Queton
1994 Gina Gray Red Eagle
1995-96 Chalene Toehay-Tartsah
1997 Shannon Shaw Duty
1998 Jessica Moore Harjo
1999 Jennifer Standingbear Bighorse
2000 Sarah Megan Oberly
2001 Whitney Freeman
2002 Mary Bighorse Wildcat
2003 Tara Damron
2004 Randa Moore
2005 Julie Maker
2006 Frankee Cunningham Hammer
2007 Maggie Gray
2008 Alexandria Toineeta
2009 Erica Moore and Elizabeth Moore
2010 Vanessa Moore
2011-12 Dora Williams
2013 Autumn Williams Hall
2014 Katelynn Pipestem
2015-16 Alissa Hamilton
2017 Jasmine Phetsacksith
2018 Alaina Maker
2019-2020 Leigha Easley
By
Shannon Shaw Duty
Original Publish Date: 2021-03-25 00:00:00
