Bluesky best in traditional dance

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University of Victoria law student Kinwa Bluesky competed in the Miss Indian World contest last month and was chosen as the runner-up. For Bluesky, the best part of the contest was the fact that she participated.

When Bluesky was 11 years old, her mother Janet Kaponicin brought her to the Gathering of Nations Powwow where they watched the Miss Indian World contest. Kaponicin said, "she was so impressed at the Miss Indian World that she said, 'When I grow up, I'm going to come back here'."

Bluesky had told her mom that she was going to be a lawyer when she was eight years old. She is now attending law school at the University of Victoria. When she was 11, she told her mom that she wanted to compete for Miss Indian World. Kaponicin added, "I am so proud of her."

There were 24 Native women competing against one another for the title of Miss Indian World. Canada had four representatives. The title of Miss Indian World went to Tia Smith who is from the Cayuga Wolf Clan, Six Nations reserve in Ontario. Marion William also competed for the title and she is from the Nemiah Valley in British Columbia. Jill Kitiganzibi from Quebec was another contestant. From the North-West Coast, Courtney Farrell of the Tahltan Nation in Fairbanks, Alaska competed, and she won a four-day cruise to the Bahamas.

During the contest Bluesky said, "We haven't seen each other perform; it is a mystery amongst the contestants who the next Miss Indian World will be."

There were 25 judges. Each of the participants had to go through personal interviews, then they had to perform at talent night and finally they went through a dance competition.

Bluesky said, "We didn't see each other's performances and the dance competition was a powwow song, which really wasn't helpful for traditional Coastal dancers or the traditional Mohawk dancer. Some are professional powwow dancers, others aren't."

It was a challenge for Bluesky to get to Albuquerque to compete. She said, "Most of the girls are a Miss Indian Princess and they are already sponsored." She added that Miss Delaware had a chartered jet plane for her family to attend the event. Bluesky was able to raise sufficient funds by selling raffle tickets of her artwork. She drove to Albuquerque from Victoria with her friend Renee Racette who also is a law student at UVIC. Racette competed in the fancy dance competition. Bluesky was chosen as the runner-up to Miss Indian World because she put on the best traditional performance.