LAWRENCE, Kan. — Miss Haskell 2024-2025 is set to host Matriarchs Rising Week in collaboration with Angelina Giago (Junior). The weeklong series of events is focused on women’s empowerment, cultural revitalization, and community building. Organized by Miss Haskell Kansas Clifford Braveboy and Angelina Giago, the initiative runs from April 7-13, 2025, throughout the Haskell Indian Nations University campus and features workshops, discussions and traditional practices.
“Matriarchs Rising Week is a tribute to the matriarchs who shaped the Lakota winyan (woman) I am today. It’s also my way of giving back; by sharing knowledge, creating space for connection, and helping young women and fem folk strengthen their sense of identity and remember the deep resilience they carry,” said Braveboy, “As Miss Haskell, I hope to honor the matriarch within each of us, nurturing a spirit of love and responsibility for our communities. Through these events and with the support of incredible hosts, I hope to pass along teachings and wisdom that have guided.”
Braveboy, crowned Miss Haskell in April 2024, has dedicated her reign to cultural revitalization. One of her signature events was a round dance for Native American Heritage Month, aimed at bringing the community together through song and dance. This weeklong event aims to continue that mission by creating spaces for women to engage with traditional knowledge and practices.
- Monday, 5 p.m. – Tipi Raising Practice (HINU Powwow Grounds)
- Tuesday, 4:30 p.m. – Wichaglata (Women’s Singing) Learning Circle (Stidham Union)
- Tuesday, 8 p.m. – Women’s Inipi (sweat lodge) (HINU Sweat Lodge)
- Wednesday, 6 p.m. – “Restoring Justice, Restoring Ourselves” Community Discussion (HINU Auditorium)
- Thursday, 4:30 p.m. – Ribbon Skirt Workshop (Tommaney Library)
- Sunday, 2 p.m. – Tea-pi Party and Tipi Raising Contest (Adobe Flats)
“We created the Matriarch Week to honor the powerful women who have shaped us, our grandmothers, mothers, aunties, sisters, daughters, and our two-spirited relatives,” Angelina Giago said. “As a Lakota woman, I was always taught to carry the teachings passed down: to move with humility, to speak with truth, and to protect our communities with love and strength. These teachings, along with other values, remind us that we are connected and must take care of one another.”
The event is open to students and community members, though registration may be required for some events. For more information, please reach out to Miss Haskell.
