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After a hot, yet exciting weekend full of dancing, drumming, and singing, we are glad to announce the winners of each category for this year’s SMSC Wacipi!
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Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community
The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community is a federally recognized, sovereign Dakota tribal government located southwest of Minneapolis/St. Paul. Following a Dakota tradition of generosity, the SMSC is one of the top philanthropists in Minnesota and is the largest contributor to other tribal governments and causes across the country. It is a strong community partner and a leader in protecting and restoring natural resources. The SMSC’s government, Gaming Enterprise and various other enterprises are collectively the largest employer in Scott County and attract millions of visitors to the region.
Ookiye Owas Iyekiyewicak̇iyapi
“Recognizing All the Staff Helping with the Wacipi”
Wild Rose - Invited Drum
"Hello to all dancers, singers, head staff, and our hosts—the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community.
We are honored to serve as an dnvited drum for this year’s SMSC Wacipi. Singing, for us, brings a lot of good feelings. Hopefully, the feeling the dancers and all the people listening get are just as good. The power of the drum and the spirit of the songs can change your whole day. We represent the Yakama Nation from Washington state. Wild Rose has been singing throughout the United States and Canada since 1997. Winning and being humbled throughout all our travels has given us great lessons. The main lesson being to honor the drum. "Take care of your drum, and it will take care of you and bring you to places you never thought you`d go." We invite you to come over and visit, have a few laughs, and share a story or teaching with us. We might look stoic and real warrior-like, but we`re some fun-loving guys who love to sing. By the end of the weekend, we`ll all have a great time together."
WRB
Ookiye Owas Iyekiyewicak̇iyapi
“Recognizing All the Staff Helping with the Wacipi”
The Descendants - Invited Drum
"The Descendants come from the MHA Nation (Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara tribes) on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in western North Dakota; as well as other tribes such as Plains Cree, Assiniboine, Nakota, and Dakota, just to name a few. We sing the original style of singing that we grew up around and learning. We are the descendants of generational drum groups before us such as Mandaree, Dead Grass, Ree Scouts, Eagle Whistles, and Drums of Poundmaker. These are the drum groups our grandfathers, fathers, and uncles all sang with before us. We started out with some humble beginnings as a “day pay drum” meaning non-contest drum. We first set up at the Rocky Boy Christmas Powwow in December of 2005. As the years went by, we mainly set up at local powwows and local functions singing for the love of singing and within the recent years we’ve had the opportunity to compete around the powwow trail and had some good fortune in winning a few of those powwows’ singing contests. We try to remain true to our roots by carrying on old songs from our people as well as sharing our own songs and singing for the love of singing and of course making people dance. We are honored to be asked to be one of the invited drum groups for this year`s SMSC Wacipi. We look forward to singing, having fun, and making the people dance. We wish all the dancers and singers the best of luck and remember to have fun. A’ho."
The “D”
Ookiye Owas Iyekiyewicak̇iyapi
“Recognizing All the Staff Helping with the Wacipi”
Show Time - Invited Drum
Hailing from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and the sacred Black Hills of South Dakota, innovating and delivering their extraordinary style and sound, Show Time encompasses a variety of inherited singing knowledge and history. Founded on respect and spiritual teachings, Show Time wishes to offer an empowering energy through their powwow music to all the relatives.
Háŋpa aṗedaŋ ṡkáta úpo! Calling all moccasin players to the 2026 #SMSCWacipi, held August 15-16 in Shakopee, Minnesota. Four people are required per team. Háŋpa aṗedaŋ uŋṡkatapte do!
Ookiye Owas Iyekiyewicak̇iyapi
“Recognizing All the Staff Helping with the Wacipi”
Cozad - Invited Drum
The Cozad Singers were formed in the early 1940s by their late father, Leonard Cozad Sr. They are from the Kiowa Nation of Oklahoma. The siblings of their late father are now taking care of the drum group duties. Since their inception, they have served as host, invited, or head singer positions at their tribal and local tribal gatherings as well as other tribal celebrations throughout the Powwow Trail. They’re called upon as head gourd dance singers at certain times of the year, individually or as a group. They have competed in singing competitions throughout the Powwow Trail at different tribal celebrations. Throughout their travels, they’ve met friends and made new ones and even adopted relatives through the big drum way of singing. Singing has been a way of life and continues to share and promote the culture and traditions of singing. We’re honored to be an invited drum for this year’s celebration. Ah ho Gah Say Lah for the honor.
Ookiye Owas Iyekiyewicak̇iyapi
“Recognizing All the Staff Helping with the Wacipi”
Bullhorn - Invited Drum
The Bullhorn Singers are from the Blood Tribe, one of the Nations of the Blackfoot Confederacy. They have been competition singing since 1998 and have won many notable competitions over the years—one of them being the world championship singing contest of the He’Sapa Wacipi Na Oskate Black Hills singing competition in 2023. They also won the United Tribes International singing competition in 2025 and the Hunting Moon singing contest in 2025. The Bullhorn Singers carry the songs of the Blackfoot Confederacy passed on to them by their many singing teachers from the Nations of Kainai, Siksika, Aamskapipiikani, and Pikanni.
Men’s Traditional Dance honors warriors and their battles. Dancers may carry shields or staffs and move with pride in the style unique to their region.
