Aacimotaatiiyankwi

Event Recap

On April 20th, 2024, the Cultural Resources Office hosted an event to celebrate our first peekitahaminki ‘lacrosse’ game of the year, along with a picnic, games, skills competition, and pie contest. This event took place in Noošonke Siipionki ‘Miami, Oklahoma’ at the tribal lacrosse field, adjacent to the Pow-Wow grounds and Cultural Resources Office. Throughout the day, around 80 people came to play lacrosse, enjoy bounce houses, participate in lacrosse and cornhole competitions, and enjoy food and a pie contest. The weather was excellent, and a live band capped off the event, which lasted roughly from 11 am to 3 pm. 

Akima Doug Lankford starts off the game! Photo by Doug Peconge.

Joshua Sutterfield organized the event, which was hosted by the Cultural Resources Office. Cultural Resources Office Employees and Tribal staff participated in running the event and organizing set-up and activities. The event began with a grill out of hamburgers and hotdogs, various other dishes, and plenty of desserts! Alongside our picnic, Stacy Williams of the Adult Services Department hosted a pie-baking contest in which multiple tribal members participated. The winner of the pie-baking contest was tribal member John Cunningham, who received a commemorative pie plate and a gift card. Josiah Dorey came as runner-up, and Morgan Brown came in third place. Both received gift cards and commemorative pie plates as well. 

Battling for the ball. Photo by Doug Peconge.

Following our meal, tribal members were assigned their teams and played two 15-minute halves of lacrosse to determine the winner of the first game of the year. Roughly 25 tribal members participated in the game, and Akima Lankford led off each half and faceoffs by throwing the ball in the air. The final score of the match was shirts with 4 goals, and skins with 2. The shirts team scored two goals in each half, while the skins team scored one in each half. Following the game, all players gathered for our customary group huddle led by Akima, and we all took a picture to commemorate this year’s event. 

Coming together to cap off a successful match of peekitahaminki. Photo by Doug Peconge.

Shortly after the game, the skills competition, led by Nate Poyfair, began. The competition had a 40-yard dash, scooping and carrying course, a passing accuracy target, and shooting accuracy game. Each aspect of the skills competition had scoring systems based on time, accuracy, and age. Fourteen contestants participated in the skills competition, with the 13-year-old and up winner, Dom McCoy, taking home the title of skills competition winner and a $150 cash prize. Russell Alsbuagh won the under-13 contest and brought home a $50 cash prize. 

Little ones honing their scooping skills! Photo by Doug Peconge.

A new event to this year’s event was the cornhole tournament. Since the goals of this event are to celebrate the coming spring and the coming together of tribal members, CRO staff added the cornhole tournament to our agenda. With a band playing music in the background, kids playing in bounce houses and practicing their lacrosse skills, and onlookers enjoying their pie, cornhole players competed for a $100 gift card to the winning team. Wade Williams and Tristan Gibson eventually won the tournament after multiple close games. This competition capped off the wonderful day of celebration and the beginning of the lacrosse playing season. 

A fun day out in the sun celebrating our first game of the season! Photo by Doug Peconge.

This year’s event was a resounding success. A cool breeze and sunny weather made the day perfect for competition and celebration as we all ate, laughed, and played as a community. As we work towards teaching community members our language and culture, the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma Cultural Resources Office also aims to increase the strength of our community through relationship building. For future events, please be on the lookout for mailed fliers and tribal website announcements. Mihši neewe ‘big thanks’ to all of those who made this day a memorable event!

Under-13 skills competition, Russell Alsbaugh. A feared peekitahaminki player of the future. Photo by Doug Peconge.