Miss Blackfoot Canada a role model to others

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Jamie Medicine Crane owns the Niitsitapi Modeling School on the Kainai Reserve in southern Alberta. A recent trip to Calgary to get a modeling agency there to scout "her girls" has led to an opportunity for Medicine Crane herself.

She will compete in the Miss Indian World competition in Albuquerque, New Mexico on April 24 as part of the Gathering of Nations 20th annual powwow.

In August 2002, Medicine Crane opened the modeling school and 12 young women enrolled in the 10-week program.

"My main objective is to give the girls a sense of self-esteem," said Medicine Crane, who herself has been modeling for 10 years.

In hoping to make more contacts and create modeling opportunities for her students, Medicine Crane went to Calgary. The modeling agency there was looking for one more woman to fill out its slate of five women for an upcoming beauty competition. The agency suggested she had the necessary qualifications and could represent Lethbridge in the provincial contest.

"I told them I wanted to represent the place I was from, so they decided we'd go with Miss Kainai-Lethbridge," said Medicine Crane.

Medicine Crane won the Alberta competition, qualifying as the first ever First Nations woman to compete in the Miss Universe Canada pageant. While Medicine Crane didn't win that competition this January in Toronto, she was selected as Miss Congeniality.

In March, Medicine Crane competed in the International Peace Powwow in Lethbridge, winning the title of Miss Blackfoot Canada, qualifying her for the Miss Indian World competition.

"It's good experience and good exposure," she said.

And exposure for First Nations models is what it's all about.

In the 10 years Medicine Crane has been modeling, she has noticed more acceptance and more opportunities for Native models.

"I'm hoping with these pageants, I can open more doors for modeling for Native people," said Medicine Crane. "This gives me the opportunity to show the world I have a modeling school and that there's lots of beautiful Native women out there."

Along with working on her students' poise, runway etiquette and photo shoots, Medicine Crane works with her students to "expand" whatever gifts or talents they have. This year, she's hoping to open an office in Lethbridge and bring male models under her wing.