To throbbing drums and the roars of delight from his fans Zach Whitecloud entered the Pow Wow arbour at Sioux Valley Dakota Nation (SVDN). People began gathering at the site Wednesday morning and by noon the place was filling up. There was a buzz in the air as the opening entertainment came to an end, and as the carriage pulled by two white horses arrived the excitement came to a peak. When Zach lifted The Cup high and kissed it, the place went wild.
It was clear that Zach was at home here. It’s where his roots are and where his family lives. As he carried The Cup around the ring, young and old reached out to just touch it. You could see by the look on his face how important this moment was to him.
Once the silverware had been carefully placed in the centre of the arbour, Chief Jennifer Bone and the SVDN council came forward to speak their gratitude to Zach for the pride he has brought to the community. They emphasized how valuable his example is for Indigenous youth in Sioux Valley and throughout the country.
Zach replied, “Thank you everyone. I know a lot of you travelled long distances to come out and support myself and my family and celebrate with me a dream I’ve had since I was a kid.”
