Cheyenne brady miss indian world

To a drum roll and the roar of the crowd in the super-packed WisePies Arena, 25-year-old Danielle Ta’Sheena Finn from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in North Dakota, was crowned Miss Indian World 2016 last Saturday night during the 33^rd annual Gathering of Nations Powwow.

Finn smiled brightly as Cheyenne Brady, the outgoing Miss Indian World, placed the majestic, glittering crown on her head.

The three-day gathering that started on Thursday night with the Miss Indian World traditional talent competition, is known as the largest powwow anywhere. And for good reason!

This year the gathering attracted an estimated 3,000 Indigenous traditional singers and dancers, hundreds of tribal artisans, musicians and performers and a sold out crowd of around 15,000.

Representing the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and her title of Miss Indian World, Finn becomes an ambassador on behalf of indigenous people internationally.

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The reigning Miss Indian World is Cheyenne Dae Brady, a citizen of the Sac and Fox Nation of Oklahoma. She currently resides in New Town, North Dakota, on the Fort Berthold reservation, home of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nations. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from North Dakota State University last May, and has been accepted into the North Dakota State’s Master of Public Health program.

She was crowned at the 2015 Gathering of Nations Pow Wow in Albuquerque in April. Since then, she has been busy representing her title visiting tribes, reservations and Native events here in the U.S. and also has traveled to Canada. She is Thunder Clan and her clan name is Sitoniquay, which translates to “light rain or mist.” ICTMN recently caught up with her to talk about her experience so far as Miss Indian World.

Can you describe what it’s been like over the past nine months?

I have enjoyed every minute of it. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do since I was a young girl. I have grown a lot as a person. My platform has been focused on Native youth and expanding cultural pride. Cultural pride is at the core of who we are as Native peoples – our stori

North Dakota contestant is new Miss Indian World

Cheyenne Brady was crowned the new Miss Indian World during the 2015 Miss Indian World coronation on last Saturday night in Albuquerque. (Times photo – Shondiin Silversmith)

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.

Miss Indian World First Runner-up Ashley Pino gazes happily at her fellow contestant as they all wait for the announcement of the new Miss Indian World. (Times photo – Shondiin Silversmith)

She went from watching the crowning to being crowned. Cheyenne Brady has dreamed of being Miss Indian World since she was young, and her dream came true last Saturday night.
“This is just such a blessing and something I’ve dreamt about since I was a little girl,” Brady said of her crowning, adding that she’s been coming to the Gathering of Nations powwow since she was a baby.
“Growing up I’ve always watched Miss Indian World being crowned, and I slowly got more interested,” Brady said, she even tried for the crown once before in 2011 when she was 18, but didn’t get it.
“It’s always been in my heart to come back, and this year was just the year,” she added.
Brady, 22, is Sac and Fox, Cheyenne and Tonkawa. She is from New Town, N.D. and a student a

ND woman wins Miss Indian Nature title

ALBUQUERQUE, NM-Cheyenne Brady from Modern Town, ND, and member of the Sac and Fox tribe was crowned Miss Indian Society at the 32nd Annual Gathering of Nations, the most prominent Native American powwow in the world. Brady received the honor out of 21 Native American women representing their different tribes and traditions who competed in the areas of tribal information, dancing ability, public speaking, and personality assessment. She is currently attending North Dakota State University.

"Miss Indian World is one of the most prestigious honors in the Native American and indigenous world and the winner will serve as a role model for all Native Americans. Cheyenne Brady will travel the world educating others about tribal and cultural traditions, and take together Native and indigenous people," said Melonie Mathews, coordinator of the Miss Indian World Pageant.

Brady, 22, will travel to many Native and Indigenous communities around the world on behalf of the powwow. She is the daughter of Jon and Rebecca Brady. As Miss Indian World, she will represent all Native and Indigenous people as a cultural goodwill ambassador for one year.

Ashley Pi

“It’s a role I have aspired to being since I was a young girl,” said the North Dakota State University senior. “Granted, I didn’t know the significance then, but when you’re about 7 or 8 and you’re just infatuated with all these girls with the pretty crown, you just want to be them.”

On April 25, that dream came true.

As her family members screamed from the crowd, Brady, 22, was named the winner of the largest and most prestigious pageant for Native American women. She still can hardly believe it.

“Sometimes I want to cry, and then I’m so excited, and then I look at the crown and I’m like, ‘Is this really mine?’ The first few days, I felt like I was in a dream,” she said.

The five-day competition takes place every year at the Gathering of Nations in Albuquerque, N.M., one of the largest powwows in North America, and includes five categories: essay, interview, public speaking, dance and traditional talent.

“Our tradition is incorporated into every part of the pageant,” said Brady, who is from New Town on the Fort Berthold reservation of western North Dakota. “A big aspect of the pageant is knowing who you are, knowing your culture, knowing your history, knowing a bit of your