(July 23, 2024) – In 1966, the Devils Lake Chamber of Commerce and the Devils Lake Sioux Tribe met and decided to have a celebration for the 100th anniversary of the signing of the treaty of peace between the U.S. government and the Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota and the Cut Head Nakota. This treaty established the Devils Lake, N.D., and Lake Traverse, S.D. reservations. As the treaty was signed in April of 1867 it was decided to celebrate the event in July, as April might have inclement weather. The event was to be called “Fort Totten Days” to be held the last weekend in July, the date of the first pow-wow was July 28, 29, and 30, – a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Thursday before the start, was designated the traditional “Camping Day.”
Frank Foughty (Turtle Mountain Ojibwa), a prominent Devils Lake attorney, and President of the Chamber and Mr. Lewis Goodhouse Chairman of the tribe would head up the arrangements. They established the Fort Totten Days Committee with William Herold as President. In turn Harry Hopkins Senior (Chief Clear Sky) was selected as Vice-President and spokesman. Mr. Foughty was given the name of Wambditanka (Chief Big Eagle) in a naming ceremony in which Mr. Foughty in appreciation of this great honor gave away many gifts. The words to his Honor Song are as follows:
Wambditanka akicita yaun [You are a veteran Big Eagle]
Dakota wicoĥan waŝteyadaka [You love the Dakota traditions]
Dakota kin wacinniyanpi [The Dakota depend on you]
Frank Foughty was later given an award by the Tribe for spending more time than anyone else in helping make the Centennial Celebration as success.
The main event was to be a pow-wow accompanied by chariot races and a rodeo. In the 1960’s the custom was for the announcer to call on the dancers to come and dance, “don’t let these good songs go to waste” was the usual admonition. Slowly by ones and twos, male dances would enter the arbor and begin to dance. Usually within the hour most of the dancers made their appearance. Harry Hopkins decided to change this routine. Remembering the opening of a rodeo, the riders would race into the arena with the first one carrying the American Flag followed by all the contestants. The dancers would enter the arena led by veterans carrying the American and State Flag. This way the audience would be able to see each of the dancers as they circled clockwise around the interior of the dance arbor. This change in protocol began what is called The Grand Entry. This idea was taken home by the dancers and spectators to reservations all over the surrounding states. Today one can go to any pow-wow and find the opening ceremony preceded by the Grand Entry. This is the standard opening by which the Spirit Lake Dakota and Harry Hopkins Senior can be proud to say “We were the First.”
After the Grand Entry, the Flag Song and Victory Song was followed by the Fort Totten Days Song. The words to this song are as follows:
Dakod wicoĥan kin teĥike yedo [Dakota customs are difficult]
Yuha iyotiyekiya waun yedo [ I am doing the best I can for you]