Handgame Teams Ready for the Powwow at Hand

RCHS Handgames. Photos by Colton Sierra '14. Copyright Red Cloud Indian School.

Handgame Teams Ready for the Powwow at Hand

By Colton Sierra ‘14

This Friday, January 17th, the three Red Cloud Handgame teams will travel to the Crazy Horse High School to try and redeem themselves from their losses at the LNI Handgame tournament this past December. The eldest team of the three, Horse Clan, looks to gain back their high stature in the handgame world. Their season has been anything but ideal. “The older team, led by Colton Sierra and Will Belt, is a good team with good potential,” said sponsor Roger White Eyes. “But this year they haven’t been as good as they were.” Horse Clan has been together ever since Sierra and Belt were freshmen.

He continued, “The two younger teams, N UR Face and Makipazo, have been doing pretty good.” N UR Face traveled further in the LNI Handgames bracket compared to the two other teams.

Going to a Powwow is slightly odd to the teams because this is going to be only the 4th Handgame tournament this year and only the 3rd Powwow. None of the teams took 1st in any of the events, but needless to say they are ready to take on the challenge. Winning in an event is important because it adds on to your team’s total points. Whichever team has the most overall points by the end of the year is honored at the Finals Powwow held in Rockyford; only Horse Clan has ever made it that far.

I managed to make an appearance at last night’s handgame practice and visited with a few of the younger players about what they expect from Friday’s Powwow. “I’m hoping to have a good time, and I want to win,” said Casey Bear Robe ‘17. Bear Robe is one of the two freshmen who made it on Horse Clan.

“I want to meet more people and meet with my old friends too,” said Brandi Davis ‘15. She is one of the older players who helped lead N UR Face to their timely victories in the past tournaments.

“We want to win and enjoy our time,” said Samaya Blacksmith ‘17 while standing with her teammate Chanda Lays Bad. “So far it’s been fun, but we want to win.” Both Blacksmith and Lays Bad are a part of the freshmen team, Makipazo.

“I want our three teams to take 1st, 2nd, and 3rd,” said White Eyes jokingly. “But what I really like is when the students can have fun doing something involved with their culture.” 

He continued, “I love to see all of the students, reservation wide, having a good time.”

The Handgame teams will leave tomorrow morning from the school to Crazy Horse High School to try and bring home 1st place medals and to finally get out of a slump of a season.