38th Annual Wacipi to be hosted by BH State University Center for American Indian Studies

SPEARFISH, S.D. (KOTA) - The Black Hills State University Center for American Indian Studies will host the 38th annual Lakota Omniciye Wacipi during American Indian Awareness Week, Saturday, April 15 at 12 p.m. in the Donald E. Young Center.

Indigenous dancers, singers, and drummers from all over South Dakota, including BHSU students, will perform at this annual celebration of the state’s rich cultural heritage. “The Wacipi is a time for our people to come together. It’s a time of socializing, meeting relatives you haven’t seen in a long time, dancing, and just having fun,” said Dr. Rosie Sprauge, an instructor at the Center for American Indian Studies.

Additionally, attendees can shop with one-of-a-kind vendors from across the state at the Wacipi. Spearfish’s biggest cultural event is this one. The Wacipi is a huge economic boost to the local area. According to Dr. Urla Marcus, the Center for American Indian Studies director, “People come in to shop, eat, and stay in hotels.”

This year’s Wacipi theme is the influence of past and present Indigenous leaders. It will focus on leadership with past alumni and upcoming graduates. “This is a time for our students to showcase what they have done all year. They are the ones that put this on every year with fundraising--they are the ones that set everything up and take everything down,” Sprague said.

American Indian Awareness Week will also feature several speakers from April 11–14 in Room 107 of Jonas Hall on the BHSU campus.

For more information on American Indian Awareness Week or the Wacipi, please visit //BHSU.edu/CAIS.

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