Two Osages competed in Las Vegas against 33 other contestants in their category from Oklahoma and other surrounding states at the Indian National Finals Powwow.
On Nov. 10, dancers from all over Indian Country attended the two-day Indian Nationals Finals Powwow (INFP) competition at the Cashman Center in Las Vegas. There were nine dance categories. Some of the top dancers from all over the United States and Canada attended the gathering to dance for the top prize money and be crowned World Champion.
Danita Goodwill and Charish Toehay, both born and raised in Oklahoma, came home with a win. Goodwill took the top place and won $5,000, a jacket, and a silver bracelet. Toehay brought home 4th place and won $2,000.
Goodwill belongs to the Grayhorse District, graduated from Fairfax High School in Fairfax, Okla., and comes from the Mary Osage Green family. As the names were called in the Women’s Southern Cloth/Buckskin category, they got down to the final name. The announcer spoke, “And your final finalist for the Women’s Southern Category (pausing for a moment) Danita ‘Dynamite’ Goodwill!” Goodwill’s family began to yell and scream as she ran down the steps and out to the arena.
“Dancing is what I love to do,” she said. “It makes me feel good when I’m in that arena.”
Toehay, who was the youngest competitor to make the finals, also comes from the Grayhorse District. She graduated from Anadarko High School in Anadarko, Okla., and also comes from the Mary Osage Green Family.
“My heart was pounding really hard when it was time to announce the finals in our category,” she said. “I’m still young and a lot of the ladies that made the finals, I have always looked up to them. I love dancing! I was able to dance with all of the women that I’ve known my whole life and it was awesome.”
INFP not only had some of the top dancers at their celebration but the atmosphere was intense. Each dancer was excited to be there and to represent their tribe.
When it came time for the finals a lot of emotions were brought out of some of the dancers. Toehay said as a competitor, dancing and enjoying yourself is part of it and there is hope to make the winners circle but if the odds are not in your favor that weekend then it’s time to move on to the next one, and always have a good attitude about it. She said some of the dancers who weren’t able to make the top 9 in the finals became emotional, something that’s not usually seen.
The crowd was left in suspense when the time came to announce the winners. All the finalists were taken behind a black curtain where they waited to be called out. With the anticipation growing, families sat and waited for their loved ones names to be announced at the end of the powwow. When the winners walked out, when their names were called, the crowd roared with applause.
Throughout social media INFP was referred to as “Epic.” Competitors talked about it for several weeks on social media.
A lot of attendees said they would return to the INFP next year. In hopes that it would be bigger and better.
By
Chalene Toehay-Tartsah
Original Publish Date: 2017-01-17 00:00:00
