Mash-ta Littlecook was crowned the 49th Denver March Powwow Princess on March 23 at the Denver Coliseum in front of thousands of people from across Indian Country, whether they were there in person or live-streaming the powwow.
She now represents one of the largest powwows in the world. For her first-ever princess title, that’s pretty good.
“Toward the end of the powwow, I was already dressed in my dance regalia and we were just sitting around and I was waiting to get undressed,” she said. “But they were announcing the princess. I wanted to wait around and see who it was. Then I kept on listening and they said my grandparents’ names and then they said my clans and what tribes, and I just started crying. I was just so excited.”
In honor of the achievement, her family held an honor dance at the Otoe-Missouria Seven Clans Casino on April 13.
Mash-ta (pronounced Mosh-tay) is 17 and is Osage, Ponca, Quapaw, Ottawa and Otoe-Missouria. On her Osage side, she is from the Hominy District and dances at Inlonshka. She joins previous Osage women who have held the Denver March Powwow Princess title in recent years. In 2017, Rose Goodeagle of the Grayhorse District was crowned and in 2016, Makayla Sage of the Hominy District represented.
Mash-ta said her family chose to surprise her with the title during the closing ceremony of the powwow.
“Denver March asks your parents or your family before they ask you,” she said. “And it can really either be a surprise or they can tell you, but mine was a surprise.”
The previous princess crowned her.
“They called my name up there and I got crowned by the past Denver March Princess … and they had a whole song for me. They have their own song for the powwow. So, they sang that song in honor of me and the past princess.”
Family is everything
Mash-ta has a large support group of family and friends backing her during her reign as Denver March Powwow Princess.
“It’s just really exciting,” she said. “I think that I have enough support that I can hold the title, and I’m just really excited for the year and very honored.”
Mash-ta has been involved with powwows ever since she can remember.
“I got introduced into the arena when I was one year old at Quapaw Powwow,” she said. “Basically from there, and I’ve always grown up around the Native American Church with my grandpa, just basically my whole life.”
Over the years, she has also danced Southern Cloth and Jingle.
“When I was younger, I started off dancing Jingle,” she said. “And I competed all the way up until I was 10. Then I switched over to Southern Traditional Cloth and I’ve only danced really in that category all the way up until now. But I’ve gone back to Jingle and danced a couple of special contests with Jingle. Whenever I start dancing, I just feel excited and feel proud that I can be there to dance for others and dance for my family.”
A model young lady
Grace Gillette, the executive director of the Denver March Powwow, said there are qualifications to be chosen to represent the organization.
“Some of the requirements are how the individual carries themselves,” she said. “They’re not running around, or they take care of their items, things like that. In school, how are their grades? Do they participate in clubs? Do they have a good standing within their schools? And then even down to the community. And then on top of that, they also look at their family as well. Do they represent themselves well?”
Mash-ta was recommended to be the princess by previous princesses based on these qualifications.
“She was actually recommended by a few of our past princesses,” Gillette said. “I think that was about Friday afternoon, and the committee kind of watched her over the weekend and how she conducted herself and how she presented herself.”
Denver March Powwow Coordinator, Larissa No Braid, said the princesses usually mature into young women during their reign.
“One thing that we’ve noticed is we crown little girls, and when they’re giving up that title, they’re young women,” she said. “They really mature during the year. What we want her to do is represent our organization. But the title itself has gained such a reputation that more invitations are coming to our princess to role model positions, to be speakers at different educational events, and even some invitations to fashion shows to be a model in them.”
With this being Mash-ta’s first title and being crowned princess of one of the biggest powwows in the country, it’s a great honor to be chosen.
“To have your first title ever be on this big of a scale, that’s awesome,” No Braid said. “And then I was at the honor dance. I’ve never been to an honor dance for a powwow princess. It doesn’t happen very often. I know her family loves her very much. There were so many people there to support her, and it was really cool to see.”
Gillette knows that Mash-ta will be a great role model and fulfill her role to the fullest extent.
“We already feel that she’s going to be very successful in her reign because in recent years, I can’t think of any princess that had the whole community come to support her by having an honor dance for her,” she said. “That was just really amazing. It’s an indication that the whole community is not going to only support her, but our organization as well.”
During her reign, Mash-ta hopes she can be a good role model and represent the Denver March Powwow Organization well.
“Make sure I’m a good role model for all the little girls or little boys that are going to hold a title or want to hold a title,” she said. “And attend everything that I can, try to be there and be a good representative for Denver March Powwow, the committee and for my family.”
Mash-ta is active in the Native American Church and sews clothing and other items for her family. She will be a senior at Ponca City High School in the fall. She plays softball and is involved with the Native American Heritage club. Previously, she has played basketball and ran track, and was involved with Future Farmers of America.
She was recently inducted into the National Honor Society, which honors students who maintain a certain grade point average and demonstrate scholarship, service, leadership and character.
She is the daughter of Mollie King and Pete Littlecook Sr. Her maternal grandparents are Ramona King and Duane Bryan, and her paternal grandparents are Oliver and Theresa Littlecook.
